


Lightning Strikes

by Amycat8733



Series: Lightning 'verse [8]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: F/M, Gen, Sentient Atlantis, h/c
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-08
Updated: 2014-01-10
Packaged: 2017-12-31 20:33:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 30
Words: 73,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1036081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amycat8733/pseuds/Amycat8733
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A lightning bolt brings change to John Sheppard. His bond with the city deepens, bringing its own hazards. Friendship is tested as Rodney and John clash over his new strength. As John’s abilities grow and change, change also comes to Atlantis.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Some events are based around the Legacy series by Jo Graham, Melissa Scott and Amy Griswold.  
> Takes place during Season Six.  
> References to two of my other stories, "Brothers" and "Meeting Minds" crop up occasionally. It is not necessary to read them first, but I do recommend it.  
> Thanks to my beta, nacimynom, for her tireless efforts in editing this!

John looked up as a rumble sounded overhead. “What a great ending to a lousy day.” The Ancient ruins had been a bust, plus he had about a dozen bug bites that were itching like crazy. Fortunately, they were only an hour from the Gate, so he could get a hot shower and have the bites looked at soon.

The wind whipped up suddenly and Teyla cast a glance over her shoulder. “We should hurry. The storm is moving in faster.”

Shifting into a jog, P90 tucked under his arm, John felt Ronon and Teyla do the same.

Rodney, being his usual self, started grumbling immediately. “Dammit Sheppard, I am not a race horse!”

“Just imagine that Wraith are chasing you.”

Rodney shot a glare at Ronon. “Thanks a lot.” Nevertheless, he put his tablet away and picked up his pace.

Trying to beat the storm to the Gate turned into a race that they lost. The rain started halfway there, coming down in wind-blown sheets.

“Great – tired, bitten, wet and empty-handed. I’m not letting you pick vacation spots McKay.” John quipped as Rodney approached the DHD.

“Oh yeah, blame me! I did this just so I could ruin your day!” Even snarking back, Rodney’s hands were entering the address.

John felt a tingling in the air just as a bolt of lightning struck nearby. “Hurry up! I don’t want to add fried to the list!”

“Got it!” With those words, the wormhole engaged and Rodney scrambled for the gate.

John knew he didn’t have to tell Teyla or Ronon, as they were just ahead of him. Just before they hit the event horizon, John felt the tingle again, but much stronger. _Oh hell, not again!_ John leaped for the event horizon just before the bolt flashed down. He knew the landing was gonna hurt, but it was either that or get hit by lightning. Unfortunately, the bolt had other ideas. It hit the event horizon and traveled through the Gate, catching John in midair as he cleared the Gate. The bolt struck hard, coursing through his every cell before grounding in the Gateroom floor. The sound wave and flash from his exploding ammo blended with the roar of the lightning as shrapnel sprayed outwards in an expanding globe from his sundered 9mm.

As the flash from the lightning cleared and the Gate disengaged, silence reigned in the Gateroom. No one moved as they all stared at the scorched spot in front of the Gate. It wasn’t until Ronon and Teyla moved to the scorch spot that everyone else realized what had happened. 

Rodney reacted first, slapping his headset “Medical emergency in the Gateroom!”

Jennifer’s voice came back immediately. “What’s the emergency?”

Rodney took a deep breath before answering “Sheppard got struck by lightning in the Gateroom.”

Silence as Jennifer absorbed this. “Is he breathing?”

Teyla answered her from her position by John’s head. “Doctor, he is breathing, but not well. His pulse is extremely fast and he is unconscious. He is also bleeding from shrapnel wounds on his side and leg.”

“On my way. Don’t move him unless he quits breathing. Keller out.”

Teyla kept her hand on John’s throat so she could monitor his pulse and his respiration. Ronon stood nearby, keeping the curious at bay. Rodney knelt across from Teyla, wrapping pressure bandages on the seeping wounds on John’s leg and side where his 9mm exploded, as a squad of Marines took up positions around their fallen commander. More troops shooed the nonessential personnel out. It always amazed Rodney how many people would make time to be in the Gateroom anytime there was a scheduled activation, especially if it was their team or Lorne’s coming in.

The room was quiet, the only noise coming from the consoles or the occasional tapping of keys. Jennifer’s arrival with a medical team shattered the silence. The Marines parted for the doctor and her team as they headed for John.

Jennifer knelt at John’s side and pulled out her stethoscope. The pilot’s chest was visible through the remains of his tac vest and shirt. She put the ear pieces in and reached down with the bell to listen to his heart. Just as the bell closed to within a few seconds of John’s skin, a spark of electricity jumped from his chest and Jennifer fell back with a muffled exclamation. “What the Hell?”

Her exclamation captured Rodney’s attention “What happened?”

“It…he…it…shocked me.” Jennifer looked a little stunned. She looked at the stethoscope, then at Teyla. “When you were monitoring him, you had your hand on his neck, right?”

Teyla nodded “Yes.”

“Where was your other hand?”

Teyla thought about it. “On the floor, so I would not fall on him.”

Realizing where the discussion was going, Rodney pulled a voltmeter from his pack and knelt at John’s side. He brought the probe near to his unconscious friend. When the probe was just a few inches from John’s skin, a tongue of electricity leapt to the probe. “Oh, great, now he really has an electric personality!”

“Can we draw the excess charge out somehow?” Teyla’s concern crept into her voice.

Jennifer considered Teyla’s question. “Right now, it’s probably what’s keeping him alive. The charge is going to need to dissipate.”

Rodney shook his head. ”Something else is going on. The rest of the bolt grounded in the conduits. Contact with Atlantis seems to be keeping the charge contained. Anything metal, though and it sends a charge. It’s… almost like the electricity is trying to keep us from moving him.”

Chuck called from the galley above. “Sorry to interrupt, but we have a scheduled activation in 20 minutes.”

“So?” Rodney snapped, and then he looked up at the Gate looming overhead. ”Oh. We need to move before we get vaporized.”

“We can’t move him .The gurney is metal.”

“’Scuse me, Doc” Ronon’s low rumble intruded. He gently moved Jennifer aside and removed his gunbelt and sword, handing those to Rodney. “Here, hold these. Teyla, help me find any more metal.”

Teyla helped Ronon find any other metal objects that he had on him. One of the Marines stepped forward to help and was soon holding quite a collection of knives and other implements. Ronon then knelt down, removed his boots and handed those to another Marine. He then turned and very gently picked his friend up from the floor, settling John’s head against his shoulder and taking extra care with his leg.

As Ronon rose from the floor, Jennifer started to stop him, but Rodney grabbed her arm. “Look, he’s not getting shocked. Ronon’s bare feet are maintaining the link with the city.”

Settling his friend in his arms, Ronon turned to Jennifer. “Where to, Doc?”

Jennifer considered this. “We can’t take him into the main infirmary. There’s too much metal and too much Earth equipment.”

Rodney snapped his fingers. “How about that room next to the infirmary? Or we could move the Earth equipment out because the Ancient equipment would probably not be affected.”

“What about the isolation room? It could be easily cleared.” Teyla’s clear voice broke the discussion. “It also has sensors to monitor his condition.”

Jennifer and Rodney both stared at Teyla then at each other and nodded.

“Sounds like a plan.” Ronon rumbled as headed out of the Gateroom, John cradled in his arms.

Jennifer nodded and tapped her radio. “Marie, I need you to take some help and clear the isolation room of all Earth technology. Remove anything metal or that you think is metal. Leave the Ancient equipment only and have someone see if they can find a bed with a wooden or plastic frame.”

“Doctor?” Marie’s voice held a wealth of questions.

“Colonel Sheppard was struck by lightning. His body still has too much residual charge.” Jennifer explained as they moved through the halls. “The charge is jumping to anything metal.”

“I understand Doctor. We’ll have it ready when you get there.” Marie’s tone was all business again.

One of the Marine squads from the Gateroom was moving ahead of Ronon, clearing the path for the man carrying their CO.  Lorne and Woolsey joined the procession as they neared the Observation Room.

“Doctor, how is he?” Woolsey’s crisp tones intruded on Jennifer’s thoughts.

“Right now, all I can tell you is that he’s alive. I’m going to have enough trouble running an IV as it is. I’ll know more once I can use the isolation room’s scanners and we get him cleaned up.” She looked at Woolsey and Lorne. “If either of you gentlemen plans to visit, I suggest you divest yourself of anything metal.”

Lorne looked at the Marine carrying Ronon’s gear and let out a low whistle. “You’re pretty naked there, Ronon.”

“Yeah,” Ronon grunted and shifted John a bit in his arms. “Haven’t been this naked since I was 6.”

When they reached the Isolation Room, they found that Marie had found a suitable bed. One of the Athosian beds that had been left behind now sat in the center of the room. It was wide enough for a possibly delirious patient to thrash without falling off, plus it was long enough for John’s lanky, six foot frame. As Ronon walked in and gently laid John on the bed, one of the maintenance crew came in with a hastily assembled wooden IV stand. Just as Ronon stood up and backed away, John started trembling with the beginnings of a seizure.  Teyla, who was on the other side of the bed, quickly knelt and placed her left hand on the floor while placing her right hand on John’s forearm and as she touched his flesh, the trembling stopped.

Rodney, having witnessed this, quickly pulled out a length of wire from his pack. After stripping about eight inches of insulation from one end, he slipped it around John’s wrist and secured it before stripping a few inches of insulation from the other end and letting it drop to the floor. “Let go, slowly, in case this doesn’t work.”

Teyla raised her hands slowly. The tremors did not return, for which she was grateful.

While John was calm, Jennifer got an IV started. Marie was in the control room using the sensors to monitor his condition and relaying information to the doctor in the room below her.

* * *

_The lightning shocked her even as she felt the pain of her favorite son. As he lay unconscious on her floor, she controlled the current running through his body, keeping it from harming him further. In doing so, Atlantis realized that the lightning had done her a favor. The longer he spent with her, the brighter he had become to her eyes. Now, because of the lightning, he was even brighter still. The thin wire that the talkative one placed between them allowed Atlantis to help him, but it was not enough. She decided that her creators would not mind if a few decorative cornices were sacrificed in order to help her son. She subtly reached out and directed the materials forming those cornices to soften and flow. Softened and malleable, the material ran down the walls like candle wax. When it reached the floor, it flowed where it had been ordered to go._

* * *

Ronon was standing back watching, but also close enough to help when a faint movement caught his attention. Frowning, he turned towards the motion, but didn’t see anything amiss. Chalking it up to concern, Ronon turned his attention back to John. He owed John Sheppard more than he would ever admit out loud. The man had saved his life and sanity by taking him in. By keeping his word, John had also earned his trust and loyalty. Another movement caught his eye, but this time Ronon didn’t turn his head. Instead he watched it out of the corner of his eye. He casually sidled over to get a closer look. What he saw only mildly surprised him. Since coming to Atlantis, he had seen much stranger things than bluish-green metal moving on its own. “McKay. “

“What? Kinda busy here monitoring Sparky the human light bulb!” Rodney snarked back without looking up from his tablet.

“Atlantis is redecorating,” came Ronon’s soft rumble. An echo of ‘huh’s’ sounded from the group. In answer, Ronon pointed down at the legs of the bed where the metal was flowing up the wood, forming a beautiful overlay. When the metal reached the top of the frame, it spread out, forming a more solid overlay. When it reached John’s wrist where Rodney had secured the wire it paused, then started flowing up the wire. When it reached flesh, a finger width of metal flowed around John’s wrist and formed a bracelet. The wire was absorbed by the rest of the metal which went on to complete the mesh overlay on the bed.

Not a word was spoken until the process was complete. Teyla was the first to touch the bracelet that now adorned John’s right wrist. It was warm to the touch and close fitting, but she twisted it slightly and discovered that it had not attached to the skin. The band was the same blue-green of the walls with shots of copper mixed in. It was also patterned to resemble the walls.

Rodney and Jennifer came over, scanners in hands. After punching buttons for several minutes, they looked up at each other and stepped to the side to compare notes.

Ronon stepped closer and sat down on the floor opposite Teyla. “What do you think?”

Teyla was silent. “I think that the city has decided to have more direct contact with John. He has stated numerous times that the city likes him. He told me of their arrival in Atlantis; how only the basic lights were on when he came through the Gate, but once he stepped a few feet in, the lights and other systems started coming on. It was especially obvious when he reached the gallery because only Rodney had accompanied him and Rodney did not have the gene at that time.”

Ronon absorbed this for a minute. “This means he’s gonna go nuts.” At Teyla’s shocked look, Ronon decided to explain further. “Think about how many requests he gets to be a ‘human light switch’ in a day. That is gonna go up if this means he can hear the city better.”

At Ronon’s clarification, Teyla nodded. “It may also help save lives. If the city can tell him what rooms were used for, he can warn the exploration teams in case of dangerous experiments. We will have to act as a buffer between him and the scientists, one in particular.

Ronon considered her words then grinned. “We‘ll guard him from everyone, just as we would on a mission.”

Tablet in hand, Rodney kept glancing over at John. Having just seen the city take an overt hand in matters really did not surprise him, not after the comments John had made over the years. Glancing back down at his tablet, Rodney focused his scan, finally picking up on the energy transmission between the bracelet and the city. “Fascinating. The bracelet is drawing the excess charge out slowly and feeding it into the bedframe. From there it is dissipating into the floor. I wonder if this means that he’ll be able to talk more directly with the city. Think of all the things we could learn.” He looked up at Jennifer, his eyes wide with excitement. “No more fumbling around, no more dangerous trials trying to figure out a device, no more damage because of ignored failsafes!”

Jennifer looked up from her scanner and stared at Rodney. “Rodney, stop and listen to yourself! You are standing there drooling over Colonel Sheppard getting struck by lightning! You’re talking about turning your friend, the military commander of this base, into your personal database!” With a glare, she walked away from Rodney and headed for the supply room.

When Jennifer returned a few minutes later, she had a tote bag of supplies with her. She put the bag down on the floor by the bed and looked up at Teyla and Ronon. “Can I get the two of you to help me?”

Teyla answered as Ronon went to grab some stools. “We were going to offer. You did not need to ask.”

Jennifer smiled. “Thanks. Nice to know someone cares.” The last was directed at Rodney with a glare.

“I do care!” Rodney was getting a bit agitated. “I’ve known him longer than you! If he was awake right now, he’d probably be thinking some of the same things!

Removing the remains of the pilot’s clothes was easy. His tac vest had withstood the energy better than the rest of his clothes, but the laces and zipper hadn’t. It slid off easily, causing his shirt to flake away. As Jennifer removed the bandages and John’s BDU’s, Ronon cleaned the ash from the pilot’s torso. His gunbelt and holster were ruined by the blast that had destroyed his 9mm. It was fortunate that John had been carrying a 9mil instead of his normal .45 as the .45 would have taken a chunk out of his leg when it exploded.

As they cleaned the ash from his skin, Teyla noticed an anomaly. She leaned over to confirm her observation. The surge from the lightning had scorched all of the hair from John’s chest. It was interesting to see his torso without the hair.

Noticing her inspection, Jennifer looked up from examining John’s leg. “Teyla, something wrong?”

Teyla shook her head, slightly embarrassed. “No, nothing wrong. I just noticed that the lightning removed John’s chest hair. I was admiring the view.”

Jennifer had to look, as she hadn’t noticed either. “It will grow back, but he’s not going to be happy when it does cause it’s going to itch as it grows in.”

As they got him clean, they found that there were some red streaks all over his chest and thighs from the lightning. When Ronon rolled him over, they all gasped. Where the lightning had struck, on the left side of his back, there was a bright red burn the size of Ronon’s spread hand. The edge of it had missed John’s spine by a finger’s width.

After staring a moment, Jennifer handed Teyla a pair of gloves and a jar of burn ointment out of her bag. “Put these on. Apply this to any area that looks red or blistered.” Pursing her lips for a moment, she rethought her plan of treatment. “On second thought, apply it to every inch of his skin. It won’t hurt him and it will definitely help. Fortunately, the burns are only first and second degree, so there will be little to no scarring, although this one is gonna hurt awhile.”

As Teyla spread the ointment on John, Jennifer called out to Marie as she started on his leg. “How do his scans look?” She grabbed a syringe and injected a local anesthetic into his leg as she didn’t want to sedate him right now. As she waited for the anesthetic to take effect, Jennifer took some antiseptic wipes and cleaned the blood from his leg. Some of the debris came out, pieces that had not completely penetrated the skin.

As she spread the ointment on his abused flesh, Teyla marveled at the difference in texture. She loved to run her fingers through the hair on his chest, tracing the swirls as they lay together at night. Seeing his muscular chest without hair was very different. It was like a curtain had been pulled aside, allowing a glimpse at what lay beneath. If they were alone, she would be exploring that new smoothness while it lasted. Unfortunately, she knew that this was not the time or place and she doubted that John would enjoy the experience, considering the burns on his chest.

After checking the various monitors, Marie called down. “His vitals are good. His heart has a minor arrhythmia and his temp is slightly elevated at 101. EEG, BP and respirations are good.”

Jennifer sighed in relief. “Good. I didn’t want to put him on oxygen with all the current in his body.” She reached into her bag and pulled out a loose gauze pad and some rolls of the same. Getting Ronon to lift John, Jennifer placed the gauze pad over the burn on his back and held it while Teyla wrapped the loose gauze around his chest to secure it. Once the bandage was secure, Jennifer had Ronon shift John onto his right side so he would not be lying on the burned area. Straightening up, Jennifer looked at the threesome. “For the next few days, be very careful where you touch him. His skin is going to be very sensitive.”

Ronon frowned. “Like when he had the flu a couple of months ago?”

“Worse, actually.” Jennifer looked at the Colonel’s team. “Have any of you ever had a bad burn?” At nods from all three, she continued. “Take that small burn and enlarge it to cover most of your body. That’s how he gonna feel.”

Having given the local time to take effect, Jennifer put on a magnifying headlamp, fresh gloves and grabbed a pair of forceps. Kelly came in and turned the scanner on, pulling on gloves as well. Jennifer watched the screen as the scanner made its slow way along John’s body. She paid particular attention to his head, ribs and leg.

With Kelly assisting, Jennifer fished the pieces of metal out of John’s side and thigh. After she felt him twitch, she injected a mild painkiller into his IV in order to supplement the local she had already given him. Waiting a moment, she went back to work, the only sounds John’s steady breathing, Kelly’s low comments, Jennifer’s directions and the plink of metal hitting metal as Jennifer dropped the shards into a basin, Kelly flushing the wounds out as she went. Every few pieces, she put the forceps down and picked up a suture needle, placing stitches in the deeper wounds to close them so they would heal properly.

As she waited for the scan to refresh, she watched John’s team. She hadn’t known them long, but she knew they were very devoted to him and each other. The Colonel wasn’t the smartest or the strongest, but he was the leader. He was the force that kept such disparate personalities together. If she ever told some of the stories about the things that John and his team did for each other, most people in Atlantis would not believe her, as they only saw what the Prime team wanted them to see. The only believers would be those persons that the team worked with on a regular basis because they had been let inside the walled city that was Atlantis’ Prime gate team.

With the scan refreshed, she picked out more material, Kelly irrigating the wounds and Jennifer placing stitches where needed. After a final scan, they wrapped his leg securely after liberally smearing antibiotic ointment over the wounds. Jennifer made the bandage a bit thicker than normal because she knew John would be stubborn and try to walk on it.

Jennifer flexed her back as she reported her prognosis, Kelly cleaning up. “Well, the good news is that there are no damaged ribs, although he’s going to be very sore from both the lightning and the impact. I don’t think he has a concussion, but he does have a sizable knot on his head from impacting the Gateroom floor.  The shrapnel was the worst, but no serious bleeders. There is a minute stress fracture on his femur, but it will heal with no problems. He will have to wear a support on it for a time in order to protect it.”

As she finished, there was a moan from the bed. Looking down, they were treated to the sight of John’s eyes fluttering open slightly before he let out a cry of pain and tightly closed them again. “Colonel, can you hear me?”

“Mmmm hm.”

“Can you open your eyes again for me?”

“No.”

Looking at his face, Jennifer had an idea what was bothering him. “Can you tell me what hurts the most?”

John was so quiet that they thought he had slipped into unconsciousness again. “Back and head.”

Comparing words with body language, Jennifer considered possibilities as she reached for her penlight. “Are your eyes bothering you?”

“Yeah.” The light in the room dimmed considerably following the lanky pilot’s answer.

Taking this into account, Jennifer looked at John. “Migraine?”

“Mmmm hm.”

Jennifer decided to not pull out her penlight. “Well, then I won’t make it worse by shining a light in your eyes if you can open them for a minute.”

It was a bit of a struggle, but he managed, his eyes fluttering open. Jennifer grabbed his chin so she could look at his pupils. Using her free hand, she shaded his eyes for a minute, and then moved it. His pupils reacted evenly and smoothly to the shift in light. Jennifer released his chin and straightened. “No concussion, which is good although you do have a lump on your head. You had some shrapnel in your side and thigh, I got all of that, but you are going to be very sore for a while.” Jennifer looked at her patient, noticing that he had lowered his eyes to slits as soon as she had released his chin. Definitely light sensitive. “I’m going to give you something for the migraine so you can sleep. I think you dodged a bullet this time. Once the burns and the shrapnel wounds heal and your body stabilizes, you’ll be back to normal.”

John managed to open his eyes once more. “Thanks, Doc.” His voice trailed off as he lost the battle with exhaustion, his eyes sliding closed once more.

Jennifer pulled out a case of loaded syringes and dumped one into the IV. When she finished, she looked up to see that John’s team was watching her expectantly. “I meant what I said. Once the burns and other wounds heal and the migraine goes away he’ll be fine. I am going to run a deeper scan while he’s out though.” Looking up at the observation room, Jennifer issued orders. “Kelly, get the big scanner warmed up. Ronon, would you bring a gurney in? Marie, send Janet in. I’m going to get a blood sample as well. I want his electrolytes checked. Also look for changes in his protein levels.”

As she drew blood, Ronon’s soft rumble intruded. “Doc, do you think it’s safe to use a gurney?”

She thought about it for a minute. “Hmmm. Actually, I’m not sure.”

Rodney huffed, reached into his pocket and pulled out a metal probe. Holding it carefully, he extended it towards John. When his hand was just a few inches from his friend’s chest, he twitched as if expecting to get shocked. When the probe gently touched skin without even a spark, he was even more shocked. Withdrawing his hand, Rodney looked at his audience. “There, does that answer the question?”

Jennifer stared at Rodney for a moment. “Yes, it does. Thank you.”

Without another word, Ronon picked their leader up and gently transferred him to the gurney. Teyla handled the IV as they headed from the room.


	2. Chapter 2

Waking was a slow process. John was sure that even his hair hurt. His skin was tight and hot and reminded him of the one time he got sunburned real badly. His hearing returned first, bringing the familiar sounds of someone sitting vigil, but as he listened to the sounds he realized that the echoes were off. The room was too quiet. Opening his eyes took a bit more effort, but his struggle proved rewarding. Staring at the ceiling as his eyes focused, John noticed that something was different. The ceiling was further away than normal. Looking around, he noticed that the colors were right for the amount of light in the room, so he knew he was in Atlantis. He realized where he was when he saw the faint glow of light above him that told him he was in the observation room. As he tried to see who was with him, he shifted, which caused pain to flare all over his sore body and he let out a sharp gasp in response.

Teyla was at his side instantly. She placed her hands on his shoulders to keep him lying down. “Shhh, it is alright John. Be still and let the drugs work.”

Willing his eyes to focus, John looked up at Teyla. “Wha’ happn’d?”

Teyla picked up a glass of water and held it as he sipped. “You were struck by lightning. You have some burns, but none are serious. You also had some shrapnel in your right thigh and side, which Jennifer removed.”

John frowned as he tried to make sense of Teyla’s words. “Lightning? Shrapnel? How…?”

Teyla reached up and stroked his hair gently. “A bolt traveled through the Gate. You were struck just as you exited the Gate. The energy caused your 9mm to explode. Rodney said that your extra ammo didn’t explode because it was not in direct contact with your body.” Anticipating his next question, Teyla continued. “We are all fine, no one else was injured.”

At that moment Jennifer walked in. Seeing John was awake, she made her way to the bed. “How are you feeling today, Colonel?”

“Crispy. Still have a headache and my back and leg hurt.” John shifted and grunted in pain again.

Reaching into her pocket, Jennifer pulled out her penlight. “I hate to do this, but I need to look at your eyes before I give you your meds.” Forestalling a protest as John cracked his eyes open and glared at her, she held up a hand. ‘I promise to be quick and give you the good stuff when I’m done.”

Bowing to the inevitable, John grumbled. “Okay, Doc.”

Jennifer did as promised, quickly checking the responsiveness of each eye. Knowing it was coming, John kept himself from flinching. Putting her light away, she dumped the syringe into his IV. As the drugs started to take effect, both she and Teyla could see the pain lines ease. They both knew of John’s legendary high pain threshold, so they knew that he was truly hurting if he admitted it.

John welcomed the painkiller as it eased the migraine and the pain from his back and leg. He laid there drifting as Jennifer and Teyla changed the bandages on his back. As sleep crept up on him, he heard a voice. It sounded like Rodney, but he hadn’t been in the room, had he? Forcing his eyes open against the siren song of the painkiller, John looked around. No Rodney. Just as he started to close his eyes again, he heard voices again. This time it was Rodney, Radek and some of the other scientists, plus a couple of Marines. Frowning, he closed his eyes. As he focused on the voices, he could hear another voice talking to him.

As they changed his bandages, Teyla noticed that John seemed restless. She saw him frown then saw his eyes flicker open. After he looked around, she saw his eyes slide closed again. A few moments later, his eyes flew open and she saw alarm in their hazel depths as they focused on her.

“Teyla, where’s Rodney?” John’s voice was breathy with pain and sleep.

It was Jennifer that answered. “He and Zelenka are inspecting some of the rooms on level 9 today.”

“Call him and tell him to stop.”

“Colonel?” Jennifer was worried, fearing he was feverish.

John caught the look as he sat up, pushing the whisper of sleep away. “I am not feverish. Call him and tell him to stop, dammit, before he kills himself, his party and a good portion of the population of this city! Atlantis says the room is full of a toxic gas.”

Jennifer looked skeptical, but Teyla knew that look and tone. “Teyla to Dr. McKay.”

“McKay here. Little busy right now Teyla.”

“You need to stop. Do not open the door you are working on.” Teyla kept calm as she relayed John’s request.

On the other end, Rodney was shocked. “Are you kidding? Did Sheppard put you up to this because I’m not there with him?”

Teyla shook her head even though Rodney could not see her. “No, John did not put me up to this. He says you need to stop or you will die.”

Rodney laughed a harsh, mocking sound. “Put the flyboy on.”

Teyla took her radio from her ear, handing it to John. “He wishes to speak with you.”

John took the proffered radio, quickly settling it in his ear. “McKay!” John put as much command into his voice as he could. “This is not a joke. If you open the door you are looking at right now, everyone with you and a sizable portion of the population of this city will die.”

Rodney was silent for a moment. “ _How do you know that?”_

John sighed. He should’ve known Rodney would be difficult. “Atlantis told me. She says that room was used to research bio-agents. Several of the containers have broken and mixed. The entire room is a toxic deathtrap. If the gas mixes with oxygen, it will spread and kill over 30 percent of the expedition.”

Silence again. “ _Okay, not that I doubt you, but since you can see me, where am I, specifically?_ ”

John closed his eyes. An image of a door popped into his mind. “You are on level 9, in corridor G3, outside of room 23, and if you look two feet up from the floor at the door frame on the right hand side, there is a gouge in the border from a bullet ricochet.”

Silence greeted this statement. In his mind, John could actually see Rodney checking the door frame. _“What the hell…? How did you know about the gouge? Did one of your grunts put it there for you?”_

John sighed. “No, Rodney. I can see it, right now. Just as I can see Radek put his shirt on wrong side out, Miller has an ink stain on her lab coat, Cpl Jamison has his tac vest unzipped and Lt Wilkes is scratching his ear.”

Looking around as John talked, Rodney realized that he was right. Radek **did** put his shirt on wrong, Miller **did** have an ink stain on her coat, the Corporal’s vest **was** unzipped and the other officer **was** scratching his ear.

Rodney realized John was talking again. _“…tis says you need to release the neutralizer_.”

“What neutralizer?”

_“Push the blue, red and yellow buttons on the wall panel in front of you.”_

Just as Rodney was about to ask ‘what wall panel’ one slid open in front of him, near Radek’s shoulder. He looked at Radek “Push the blue, red and yellow buttons on that panel” and pointed over the man’s shoulder.

Radek turned, following Rodney’s finger then quickly punched in the sequence.

“ _That did it.”_ John’s voice was soft in his ear.

Radek hooked his laptop to the panel and downloaded the readings from the room. He analyzed the data as it downloaded. When it finished, he turned to Rodney, pale and with a hint of fear in his eyes. “Rodney, we owe Colonel great debt.” He pointed at the readings on his laptop. “He saved us all from horrible death.”


	3. Chapter 3

“That did it.” John’s voice was soft as the adrenaline drained away, leaving him spent and tired. That was enough of an opening for the painkiller Jennifer had given him to steal in and sweep him away on a tide of bliss.

Teyla caught John as he went limp, setting the radio aside as she got him settled. Jennifer helped, checking that the lines weren’t tangled. As she reached for her radio again, she could hear Rodney, squawking for John. “Rodney, John is asleep.”

_“Asleep? Wake him up! I need to know how he did that!”_

Teyla frowned, even though Rodney could not see it. “I will not.” She let a bit of disgust tinge her voice. “He needs his rest. Whatever he did caused him some pain.”

Rodney was silent on the other end. He was subdued when he came back online. “Okay. Tell him…thanks from all of us.”

Teyla smiled a bit. “I will do so, but I think he would appreciate hearing it from you in person more.”

* * *

The next day, Rodney and Radek gathered some relics and some other items together on their way to proving a hypothesis. The pair had spent most of the night arguing and debating how Sheppard had seen the previous day’s events. Rodney thought that he had tapped into Atlantis’ internal surveillance with one of the Ancient machines in the isolation room. Radek felt that the Colonel had actually used the conduits and the very substance of Atlantis as an extension of his eyes. Hence the test. They had gathered the items under a masking field so that no electronic eyes of any kind could see what was on their cart. When they got to the infirmary, they brought the cart just inside, but left the masking field on.

“Jeez, why is this place so dark? It’s depressing.” Rodney was moving into full rant as he turned the lights up. “There, that’s better.” He looked over at John as he sat down. The Colonel was pale, with streaks of red still showing on his fair skin. He was asleep, propped up slightly on a mound of pillows. His head was turned to his left slightly, away from the door and his long fingered hands lay limply in his lap. A bulge under the blanket on his right leg showed where Jennifer had removed the shrapnel from his leg.

“Rodney. Maybe lights are low for a reason?” Radek played the voice of reason.

“Yeah, I’m sure that some idiot thought it would be funny to leave the lights low to see if someone trips on something.” Rodney’s rant was in full steam. “Or maybe they wanted to see if Sheppard glows in the dark now! Gee, I could see that now, ‘Come to Atlantis. Our military commander glows in the dark! Saves batteries during blackouts! Works as a lighthouse on his weekends off!”

“Rodney.” Radek’s voice held that tone that said he was being an idiot.

Pulling out his datapad, Rodney sat down. “Hmph, whatever. We’ll find out soon enough.”

Seeing that nothing more was forthcoming, Radek pulled out his laptop and settled in a chair of his own to work on some of his own projects.

* * *

Waking was uncomfortable. Being awake meant that he felt the burns and the itch where the IV was. Awareness meant he also realized how much he wanted a bath. The clean-up job that Jennifer, Teyla and Ronon had done was fine, but it didn’t get him truly clean, plus the hot water would ease his sore muscles and his headache. As he woke up, John noticed that someone had turned the lights up and that he had company: Rodney was there with him. Surprisingly, so was Radek. It was the Czech scientist that noticed he was awake. He opened his eyes to mere slits, just enough to allow him to see his visitors, not enough to aggravate his headache. As the two scientists put their computers down, John lowered the lights in the room and opened his eyes wider.

“Ah, Colonel. Is good you are awake.” Radek pushed his glasses up. “Thank you for warning. Dr. Miller says ‘thanks’ as well.”

Rodney came over, tablet in hand. “Yes, yes. You saved our lives. Super Colonel does it again.”

John narrowed his eyes at Rodney. “McKay.” He drawled the name out, letting Rodney know he was irritated. “What are you doing?”

Rodney looked irritated. “Trying to turn the lights back up in this voodoo cave you’ve taken up residence in.”

“Leave the lights alone.” John was getting irritated, his head starting to pound harder.

“Why? Is the voodoo priestess running an experiment?” Rodney’s snark was coming out. John guessed gratitude went an even shorter distance now.

“No.” John glared at Rodney. “I turned the lights down because I had a migraine.” John’s voice was quiet and carried a sharp edge. “I still have a nasty headache and the lights make it worse. And the next time we have a blackout, I’ll see that we have plenty of batteries by not giving you any. I’ll have Lorne attach a manual generator to one of the exercise bikes and let you use that instead.”

As he listened to the sharp dagger hidden in John’s soft-spoken words, Rodney realized that he had screwed up and made his best friend mad. He also realized that Sheppard had referred to his comments to Radek, made at a time that the Colonel was definitely asleep. “Um, you heard that…about the batteries?”

John nodded, death glare on simmer. “I also heard the part about me working as a lighthouse. Now, is there a reason you’re here, or did you come to upgrade my headache to migraine status again?”

Rodney looked at Radek. “We…um…wanted to …see how you were doing…and…um…”

Radek pushed his glasses up and smoothed his hair back. “What Rodney is trying to say is that we came by to see you and to ask about yesterday. How did you see us in corridor?”

John closed his eyes, rubbing his temples. “I asked Teyla where you were. When she told me, I could see you like I was standing there. I can also hear Atlantis a lot clearer than I could before. I used to just get uneasy feelings about some of the rooms or objects. Now, talking to her is like talking to you, minus the snark.”

Radek jumped on that. “See, see! I told you and you did not believe me!” The little Czech was ecstatic. “Sometimes, for genius, you do not see what is under nose.”

As Rodney started to retort, John intervened. “McKay!” The crack of command in John’s voice had both scientists standing up straighter. John opened his eyes and glared. “If you want to argue, go somewhere else and do it. Oh, and when you leave, take those devices you brought with you. The cacophony is aggravating my headache.”

Rodney and Radek were both speechless. Rodney recovered first. “How…? You were asleep, there’s a masking field, plus we threw a sheet over them.”

John opened his eyes and looked at the two scientists. He counted them both as friends, but they could both be so…dense. “I just told you I can hear Atlantis. She didn’t tell me about the devices, though. I can hear every Ancient device in this room. The device in the corner that looks like a patio umbrella emits a sterile field for surgery. The device next to it is for repairing broken bones, but it needs some new crystals. The scanner, here by the bed, has three cracked crystals. They need to be replaced before the machine is used again.”

Radek ducked down and pried the maintenance panel off. After pulling out three of the crystals, he found the first cracked one. The next two also showed hairline cracks. “He is right; there are three cracked. They are main crystals. Unit would have failed next time used.”

John closed his eyes, concentrating. “On the cart, you have eight devices. The four on the bottom shelf are parts to other devices; the two on the left go on the middle device on the top shelf. The other three devices are complete; the ones on either edge are prototypes. They can be fixed. The one on the left is a power amplifier for a jumper; the one on the right is a portable cloak. The remaining device is damaged and is unsafe. Do not repair it. It was a torture device.” John stopped, massaging his temples to ease the pain in his head. “The central device, once you reattach its parts, is a city directory. It will tell you what a room was generally used for. The other two pieces from the bottom shelf will glow when you bring them near their parent devices, both of which you have in the vault.”

As the two stared at each other, John opened his eyes. “Now, will the two of you run along and let me suffer in peace?”

“No, you have to help me…us. It’s your duty to help identify the labs and what each device does.” Rodney was shocked that John had asked him to leave.

Pushing himself up straighter, John leveled a glare a Rodney, his voice deep and deadly. “Let me get this straight. You want me, the Military Commander of Atlantis, to put aside all of my duties, including protecting your ass, in order to follow you around all day as your research assistant and personal lackey.”

“Yes, that is exactly it. Well, not the protecting me part, but, yes, I want you helping me. Anything else is inconsequential.” Rodney had the bit between his teeth, his mouth running at full speed towards a sheer cliff. “With your help, there could be no more accidents. We wouldn’t have to test devices through trial and error to discover their purposes.” Rodney stood, pacing in time with his mouth. “Think of all the wasted time that you would save me. I wouldn’t have to deal with incompetent researchers anymore.

John’s glare moved to Defcon 4. “So you want me to abandon my duty and my life in order to become your slave?” The steel in John’s voice made Radek shiver. “I don’t think so. The answer is no. I think you need to leave, now.”

Rodney was flabbergasted. Sheppard was refusing to help him! “But…”

At that moment, Jennifer walked in. She took one look at the scene, noticing Rodney, Radek, the scanner with crystals on the floor in front of it, the cart by the door and the pain in John’s posture. “Rodney, Dr. Zelenka, I think the two of you should leave now.” The snap in the doctor’s voice left no room for disobedience.  “And make sure to fix my scanner.”

Radek nodded, gathering up the cracked crystals and his laptop. “Yes, yes. Be right back with new crystals.” The diminutive Czech beat a hasty retreat.

Rodney was a bit slower. “This is not the end of this. Do not think you can keep this to yourself. I still have more tests I want to run.” He gathered up his datapad and the trolley and headed for the door.

John looked at him. “Rodney.” When his friend turned around, he continued, his deep voice calm, but the hint of steel was still there. “I am not your lab rat, lackey or slave. If you want to know something, you can ask.” The death glare returned. “I know what I can do; I do not need you devising more tests for me and I am not something that you can requisition.”

* * *

Rodney was fuming as he left the isolation room.

How dare Sheppard refuse to help him? How could he work the Colonel’s new abilities into his plans if he didn’t know what the man could do? Just because he almost got fried by a rogue lightning bolt was no reason for the man to be an ass. Well, dammit, the man was going to help him whether he liked it or not. He’d go to Woolsey and get him to order the Colonel to help him. Hell, he’d go to O’Neill if he had to!

It was only as he reached his lab that he verbalized these feelings, not caring when Radek slipped in after having made a return visit to the infirmary to fix the scanner.

Radek let Rodney rant. As the Canadian was right now, there would be no talking sense into the man. He just hoped that Rodney could see reason before he did something stupid.

Remembering what the Colonel had told them about the devices, Radek pulled back the sheet and set to manipulating the pieces. He tagged the two intact devices that they were keeping and placed the third into the disposal bin where it would be disassembled by engineers without the ATA gene. He next took the three pieces that formed the city directory and started working with them. It took a few minutes, but, knowing that they went together made it easier. His exclamation as the pieces clicked together drew Rodney out of his rant.

“What did you do?”

Radek looked at the grumpy Canadian. “I assembled the city directory that the Colonel told us of.”

“Really?” Rodney looked at the Czech. “Now I guess I need to turn it on?”

Radek looked down his nose at Rodney as he would at a dense undergrad student. “I would if I could, but I cannot. You need to initialize it.”

Huffing in irritation, Rodney reached over and touched the device. It lit up at his touch and stayed lit after he removed his hand.

“Ah, it works like consoles in Control Room. Once initialized, any can use it.”

Rodney looked at Radek. “Thanks, Captain Obvious, for that brilliant observation!”

Radek pushed his glasses up. “Rodney, you are being idiot. The Colonel was right. He is not a specimen for you to test. You, more than any of us, know how often testing devices for us that we have told him are safe has landed him in the infirmary.” Taking a breath, Radek continued. “He did not refuse to help you; he refused to be poked, prodded and treated as less than he is.”

Rodney just stared, Radek’s words shocking him onto silence.

“The Colonel needs time to heal, and to adjust to these new abilities. I would imagine that it is like gaining the ability to see after being blind.”

“Yes, yes, let’s just bow and scrape to his highness, Mr. Uber-gene.” Rodney threw his hands up in the air and started pacing. “The poor Colonel gets hit by lightning. Let’s treat him like glass so we don’t give him a headache! Meanwhile, let’s just screw over the scientists that keep this place running!”

Radek looked at Rodney with an expression of disgust. “Rodney, listen to yourself! You are so blinded that you want to turn your friend into your slave! You are being an ass!” Radek picked up the directory, heading for the door. “If this is how you are going to act, I would not be surprised if the Colonel refuses to help you at all.” With that, exuding an air of disgust, Radek stalked from the lab, leaving Rodney fuming and stunned in his wake.


	4. Chapter 4

After Jennifer chased Rodney and Zelenka out, she gave her patient a thorough checkup. She could tell that he still had a headache, which was why she chased the two scientists out. Since John was awake, he rolled onto his left side with a grunt so she could check his back. Removing the bandages, she examined the area carefully. The skin was still red, but there was no inflammation of either the burns or the shrapnel wounds, so she liberally smeared his back with the Lidocaine ointment Teyla had applied the previous day. She could feel the tension leave the Colonel’s muscles as the ointment soothed the burn and numbed the other wounds. As she reached over and coated his chest, she remembered Teyla’s reaction to the Colonel’s temporary lack of chest hair and blushed slightly, having to redirect her thoughts before she started doing more than medicating his torso. Shaking her head, Jennifer finished applying the ointment and helped John sit up so she could rewrap his chest.

“Hey, Doc, have you seen my tags?”

John’s question startled her. “No, I haven’t. Come to think of it, I don’t remember seeing them when we undressed you. Did you lose them on the planet?”

John gently shook his head. “No. I remember feeling them thump against my chest as I dove through the gate.”

Jennifer looked at him. “It’s possible that the lightning vaporized them. I’ve heard of that happening to metal objects, and it’s pretty likely considering what happened to your pistol.” Finished with his torso, she moved to his leg, carefully unwrapping the thick bandage.

As she worked, she looked at the Colonel. There were still a few faint pain lines around his eyes and mouth, but for all of that, he still looked so young. His hazel eyes were staring off into the distance, something clearly bothering him. “Penny for your thoughts, Colonel?”

“Huh, don’t know if they’re worth that much.” He stared off into the distance again. “It’s this new ability. I’ve always been able to feel Atlantis in the back of my head, and that hum has helped on many occasions, although sometimes I couldn’t figure out what she was trying to tell me until afterwards.” His voice trailed off for a moment. “Now, I can talk to her as easy as I can you. There’s so…much stuff coming at me that I have to block it out. She’s helping, but, just like anything else, there’s a learning curve.”

Jennifer continued with checking his leg. The wounds looked good – no excessive redness, heat or swelling. As she applied more Lidocaine, he started talking again.

“That’s why Rodney got mad earlier. He wants me to follow him around and tell him what every room and device in this city does or was used for to the exclusion of everything else.”

Jennifer looked at him in surprise. “You’re serious?”

John shifted a little, grunting with the pain. “I am. He told me that it would save him a lot of time if I dropped everything to be his assistant, that anything else I might want or need to do, including my duties, was inconsequential.”

Jennifer mulled this over as she wrapped his leg. “I would say that that doesn’t sound like him, but it does. Give him a few days – he’ll come around.”

John sighed. “I hope so.”

“Well, Colonel, as much as I love our visits, I am kicking you loose.” She leaned over and disconnected the IV, placing a small bandage over the small wound. “Your test results have come back clean and there’s no sign of infection. I’ll get you something for the headaches, and a mild painkiller. Keep the bandages dry. Your back only needs them a couple more days, but keep the shrapnel wounds covered until the stitches come out. Get one of your team to anoint your back or come here and get one of the nurses to do it. If you don’t keep the burns and the stitches moist, they will pull and could get infected.” Jennifer glared at the lanky pilot. “No running or sparring until I say so. You are off duty for today and the next two. After that, you are on light duty until I clear you.”

Jennifer smiled at the pilot as the doors behind her opened. “And, unless I miss my guess, your escort is right on time. Get dressed and get out of here. Go eat then go rest.” Looking at Teyla and Ronon, standing in the doorway, she smiled. “He’s all yours.” With that, she left the room.

John was sitting on the edge of the bed by the time Teyla and Ronon reached him, the Satedan tossing a loose bundle onto the bed beside him. John unfolded it to find his sneakers, a pair of faded BDU pants, a black t-shirt and a long-sleeved blue shirt along with a parka.

“Figured the BDU’s would work better with that leg.”

John looked up as he dressed. “Yeah, they do. Thanks, Ronon.”

Once he was dressed, Teyla pulled a bag off her shoulder. “Here is the rest of your outfit.” She opened the bag and pulled out a web belt and a new thigh holster. As John fastened the belt, Ronon knelt and took care of adjusting and fastening the thigh straps so John would not have to bend too much. Belt secure, Teyla pulled out his .45. “Sgt Chambers finally found the repair kit you ordered. Major Lorne was kind enough to complete the repairs for you.” Reaching back into the bag, she pulled out a length of silver chain. “One of the Marines in the Gateroom found the remains of your tags. One was gone, the other partially melted, so Major Lorne made you a new set.” She leaned over and draped the chain around John’s neck.

John picked up the tags, reading what was stamped there, verifying that all was correct, before he tucked them inside his shirt. Truth be told, he had felt a bit lost without them. He looked up at Teyla and Ronon as he slipped into his parka, grateful for their thoughtfulness and smiled. “Let’s go eat.”

Limping through the corridors, John noticed the unobtrusive stares, but did his best to ignore them. Ronon and Teyla were on either side of him, keeping an eye on him and keeping the curious away. They entered the mess hall and grabbed food, but instead of opting for their usual table by one of the windows, John led the way onto one of the balconies. They didn’t eat outside when Rodney was with them because he complained about insects and airborne diseases. After he ruined everyone else’s meal one afternoon by describing in detail the effects of some of the more vicious airborne bacteria, they started eating indoors all the time and being on an ice planet made it even less likely that they would eat outside.

As they stepped onto the balcony, a warm breeze met them. They had both wondered why John had not fastened his coat and why they would eat on the balcony. It was enclosed but still cold. They both realized that it was Atlantis giving John a sanctuary.

As they sat down, John got a faraway look in his eyes for a few moments before he picked up his fork and started eating. His reason became clear just a few moments later as a trio of scientists practically ran into the door and each other.

Without looking up from his food, John smirked as one of them tried to ‘pick the lock’ on the door. “It won’t do them any good.”

Teyla turned to see what he was talking about and saw the group of scientists. As she watched, four more came to join the first three.

“I locked it and the door behind me that leads to the residential area and nothing they can do will get through that door until I release it. Atlantis is ignoring all input from that door. Right now, to her, that door doesn’t exist.”

Teyla turned back to John and her food, a question in her eyes.

John saw the question. “I want to eat in peace. Five of those scientists have small devices in their pockets and the others have various hand scanners; one even has a biological sample kit.”

They ate in silence, letting John have some peace and just enjoying being together. As he was almost done with his food, John muttered an oath. “Dammit. This is McKay’s fault.”

“Do you want me to stun him?” Ronon sounded eager.

“No”. John sighed then propped his elbows on the table, chin resting on his interlaced fingers. “If I thought it would do any good, I’d have you do it in a heartbeat. They are acting like that because of him and his damn obsession. D’you know, he told me earlier that he wants me to drop everything, including my duties as Military Commander, to follow him around and be his personal assistant, which in this case means lackey and slave?”

Ronon and Teyla looked shocked, but not surprised.

Without changing position, John continued. “When I told him no, you’d have thought that I told him he was being sent back to Earth and was being kicked out of the Stargate Program.”

“Will he make trouble for you over this?” Teyla, being diplomatic as always.

“Probably, actually, I can pretty much guarantee it.” John grimaced in disgust. “He’s so obsessed with this that he can’t see the forest for the trees.” As he said it, John thought wryly that that was one Earth saying that needed no translation or explanation. Ever since they got Rodney back from the Wraith, his interpersonal skills had been sorely lacking on occasion.

The trio finished their meals, each lost in thought. As they stood, John assumed that faraway look again. “The doors are unlocked again. I’m going to my quarters for a nap. See you later.” With that, John headed for the far door, his ground-eating strides carrying him away rapidly.

John made it to his quarters without being accosted by using his enhanced connection to keep all of the doors along his route closed until he was far past them. Upon reaching his quarters, he toed off his sneakers and sat down on his bed in order to undo his holster. Pistol on his side table and holster on the floor, he considered taking a shower, but decided to skip it as it wasn’t worth the trip back to the infirmary to get rebandaged. After changing from the BDU’s to sweat pants, he took the pills Jennifer had given him for the headache, crawled into his mound of covers and was asleep shortly thereafter.

* * *

The next morning, while eating breakfast, John received a call from Woolsey, requesting that he come to his office. Acknowledging the request, John finished his food, but an uneasy feeling was taking up residence in his stomach. As he reached Woolsey’s office, he was not surprised to find Rodney already there and looking smug.

“Colonel Sheppard, I have spoken to Dr. Keller concerning your condition. I have also read the incident reports from Drs. McKay, Zelenka and Miller as well as the reports from your men. I am glad that you were able to act in time and that lives were saved.” Woolsey stopped and cleared his throat. “Dr. McKay tells me that he wants you to use your enhanced abilities to assist him, and I agree that you should.”

John’s eyes narrowed – now he knew why Rodney looked so smug. “While Dr. McKay was telling you that I refused to help him, did he tell you why I refused?” At Woolsey’s negative, John continued. “He told me that it was my duty to assist him, that any other duty or desire was inconsequential, including protecting this city. I am not even allowed to take the time I need for my body to heal and to get used to these new abilities.” Here, John’s voice turned cold. “According to him, protecting Atlantis is not as important as protecting him and being his personal database slave.”

Woolsey tugged his jacket down. “I find that hard to believe. I know that you are still recovering and are probably reading more into this than is actually present.”

John narrowed his eyes, voice deep and cold. “You think that I’m overreacting? I have a witness – Radek was there, plus Atlantis recorded it. I could play it for you, if you’d like.”

Rodney looked frightened at that suggestion. “You can’t…um…the recording may be altered to make it sound like I said that! Plus, you have to keep the others away. They’ll only get in the way.”

Woolsey looked at the two men: Sheppard – cool, calm, with hot anger seething below the surface; McKay – excited, condescending, smug, but with a bit of fear as well. “As much as it disturbs me, I am afraid that I am going to overrule your objections, Colonel, and request that you assist Dr. McKay.” At McKay’s triumphant shout, he continued “However, this is only for two days – today and tomorrow. Your assistance ends at midnight tomorrow unless you extend it by choice.”

As John stood, he looked down at Woolsey. “Fat fucking chance of that. I am lodging a formal complaint over this, and I want it noted that I am doing this under protest.” As he headed for the door and the impatient Rodney, John stopped and looked over his shoulder at Woolsey. “This is a mistake. He’s already painted you such a pretty picture that you can’t see his obsession. The last time he obsessed over a piece of Ancient tech, he destroyed a solar system and almost got us killed.”

Woolsey tugged his jacket again. “Be that as it may, my decision stands.”

“I just hope we live to regret it.” John muttered as he walked through the door.


	5. Chapter 5

As soon as they left Ops, Rodney headed for the labs. As they walked, he kept trying to engage John, asking questions about each room they passed. John refused to play the ‘let’s make nice’ game and gave only the information he was asked for, nothing more. He decided that he was going to piss Rodney off by making him ask for each drabble of information. Answers to questions were delivered in a monotone and were kept to a minimum number of words. The constant use, plus the discord of sounds that some of the devices were making, caused his headache to return full force.

As they proceeded through the labs, Rodney grew frustrated with John. Normally, the naturally curious pilot would have been poking his nose into every corner, looking at every device. Not this time, though. This time, he stood in one place, only moving when necessary, speaking in a monotone and only giving short answers when asked about rooms or devices. Any other question was ignored completely, even Rodney’s increasingly nasty and snide comments just rolled off the pilot like water from a duck’s back.

Their expedition, also known as ‘McKay with Sheppard on a leash’ lasted until well after midnight. Rodney had completely ignored John’s well-being. They had not stopped for lunch or dinner. Rodney was constantly devouring power bars, occasionally tossing John one along with a bottle of water. He had also failed to notice that John’s steps had progressively become slower to the point that he was pulling the Colonel from one lab to the other. Rodney simply thought that John was being difficult. Rodney had also missed the pain lines forming around the Colonel’s eyes and mouth, and the way he started squinting.

Around midnight, most of the scientists had gone to bed and Rodney decided to head to his lab to start compiling the information. Seeing John still standing where he had stopped after entering the lab, Rodney waved him towards the cot in the corner.

“You might as well get some sleep. I’m not letting you out of my sight. I still have you for 24 hours and I’m going to use every one of them.”

John never replied, just shuffled to the cot, laid down and dropped into an uneasy sleep, hunger and pain taking a back seat to exhaustion.

* * *

A few hours later, Rodney kicked John out of the cot, telling him that it was time to get back to work. If he had been paying attention, Rodney would have noticed the anger brewing under the pain and hunger in John’s eyes. As the Colonel stood, Rodney tossed him two power bars and a bottle of water after allowing him to use the bathroom as he stood outside so his ‘assistant’ wouldn’t escape.

The morning and afternoon went the way of the day before, Rodney dragging John from lab to lab. The pair were even stopped in the halls as scientists rushed up with items that they thought might be Ancient that had been doing duty as paperweights or sculptures. Some were, some weren’t, but the effort of finding out was taking its toll on John.

The only labs that they did not visit were those of Miko Kusanagi and Radek Zelenka. Miko refused Rodney’s assistance and Radek was bypassed because he stuck up for John two days previously.

* * *

Carson Beckett was passing down one of the corridors that led from the science labs when he saw John and Rodney enter one of the columned junctions. Even though he had returned only a few hours previously, Carson had already heard about the incidents and about Woolsey practically ordering John to be Rodney’s ‘assistant’ for 48 hours.

Seeing the two men ahead of him, Carson moved closer in order to observe. He didn’t like what he saw. Rodney was his normal, caffeinated self; bright eyed and bushy tailed after only a few hours of sleep. John, on the other hand, was shaking with fine tremors, his footsteps stumbling and hesitant, shoulders slumped, pale faced, and with dark circles under his dull, pain-filled eyes.

Just as Carson moved to intercept the obviously exhausted pilot, a scientist stepped out of a cross-corridor.

“Hey, Colonel Sheppard, catch!”

Carson saw John reach up instinctively to catch the object hurdling at his head. He raised his left hand as the object neared him. If John hadn’t been so exhausted, his reflexes dulled by hunger and pain, he could have avoided what was coming.

As the object left the scientist’s hand, it actually sped up. When John raised his hand to catch it, the pearly white ball shifted, changing shape in mid-air, to become a flechette. The slim, pearly dart pierced John’s left hand, the momentum turning him and pulling him into one of the liquid-filled columns. His cry of pain was sharp, but was cut off by the crack of his head impacting the column, which was overshadowed by a loud pop as the flechette pulled John’s arm past the column, only stopping when it couldn’t drag John’s dead weight along, which pulled it to the floor as John crumpled, silent and unmoving.

* * *

Carson called for a medical team as he rushed over to his friend. Reaching John, Carson noted the unnatural angle of his left shoulder, possibly broken or dislocated. Placing his hand on John’s neck, he was not happy as he felt the shallow pulse under his fingertips. Swiftly pulling out his penlight, Carson checked the pilot’s pupils. They were sluggish and only closed down fitfully, not smoothly as they should, which indicated a severe concussion. As hard as the lad’s head hit, Carson surmised that he’d be lucky to not have a skull fracture. Checking the Colonel’s hand, he found that two of the bones in John’s hand were broken and would need surgery to set right. Turning his attention to John’s shoulder, Carson discovered that it was only dislocated, which would only make a slight difference in the lad’s discomfort.

Standing nearby, Rodney grew impatient as Carson assessed Sheppard’s injuries. He felt that the Scottish doctor was taking way too much time, in fact doing so in order to waste his time in order to help Sheppard avoid helping him. Finally, as the medical team and gurney arrived, Rodney exploded.

“Carson, what are you doing?”

Unperturbed, Carson continued getting John ready for transport, the medics wrapping the Colonel’s hand and getting an IV started. “Taking the Colonel to the infirmary so I can treat his injuries.”

“Injuries?” Rodney scoffed. “He’s malingering. Just wave an ammonia tab under his nose, wake him up, and slap some Band-Aids on him. I have important work I need him for.”

Carson was livid. He couldn’t believe what his ears were tellin’ him. “Rodney, ye’re a great bloody arse! I’ll do no such thing! The Colonel is severely injured, and bloody well needs medical treatment and surgery.” Carson advanced on Rodney, seriously considering breaking his oath. “If ye need him so damned badly, then why didn’t you get the Colonel a decent bloody night’s sleep and some food? If that damn device hadn’t hit him, he’d have been on the floor in another few minutes, having passed out from exhaustion!”

“Seriously, Carson, I’ve seen him go longer on less.” Rodney was getting frustrated. “He didn’t want to do this, so he’s playing it up for your benefit. Just rattle some chicken bones over him and he’ll be fine.”

Carson was about to punch Rodney, his protective nature and Scottish temper having finally been pushed too far when Lorne,  Ronon and Teyla came around the corner, accompanied by a squad of Marines.

Assessing the situation in an instant, Lorne stepped between the two doctors. “Hey, Docs, what’s up?”

Rodney jumped first. “Dr. Beckett is trying to carry Colonel Sheppard off, stating that he’s injured. All Sheppard needs is some Tylenol and some Band-Aids. He’s playing possum in order to get out of helping me!”

Carson lunged for Rodney, but Lorne intercepted him.

“Hey, hold up, Doc. Dr. Beckett, what is Colonel Sheppard’s condition?”

“The Colonel has a severe concussion from impacting yon pillar. He also has a dislocated shoulder and broken left hand with a piercing injury.” Carson glared at Rodney. “And I am not trying to carry him off, I am carrying him off!”

With that, Carson motioned to his team and they raced off, the unconscious Colonel strapped to the gurney, Ronon and Teyla at his heels.

Rodney couldn’t believe it; was every military officer in the city a complete idiot? First Sheppard gets knocked down by a toy then Lorne lets Carson kidnap his research assistant off to the infirmary, claiming that he’s severely injured. “Major, I protest!  Have him bring my assistant back!”

Having seen Sheppard’s condition and having noted the blood on the column and on the floor, Lorne had had enough of Rodney’s attitude. “Dr. McKay, you need to stop this, right now. Colonel Sheppard is badly injured.” Lorne pointed at the floor and column, his easy drawl having vanished and been replaced with a voice of steel. “Did you see the blood? I assure you, that’s damn well not paint! Now, I suggest you go to your lab or to the mess hall or to your quarters, because this field trip is over.”

Rodney huffed. “You can’t do that. I’m a civilian.”

Lorne nodded, his voice sharp with suppressed anger. “That’s right. You are a civilian that has endangered the life of the military commander of this city and who has attempted to withhold medical treatment from said commander. Those are criminal offenses regardless of which code of law you go by.”

“He’s correct, Dr. McKay.”

Both men turned to see Woolsey making his way through the small crowd.

“I heard what happened, and I agree with Major Lorne’s assessments.” Woolsey pushed his glasses up. “I also took the liberty of reviewing the footage from the isolation room during Colonel Sheppard’s stay, as well as speaking with Dr. Zelenka. Both were most…enlightening. I withdraw my order to Colonel Sheppard to be your research assistant, even though there are only 12 hours left. I am also going to enforce Major Lorne’s suggestion.”

Woolsey drew himself up to his full height and cleared his throat. “Dr. McKay, you are barred from the infirmary until or unless your presence is requested. If you have any medical needs, a medic will come to you.” Turning, pronouncement made, Woolsey started to leave then stopped and turned to face McKay again. “And, while Major Lorne may not be able to give you orders, I can and have. Dismissed, Doctor.” Woolsey stared at McKay until he stalked off.

“Major, post guards on the infirmary – all entrances. If Dr. McKay gets within their line of sight, escort him to the brig then call me.”

Lorne nodded, almost saluting. “Yes, sir.”


	6. Chapter 6

Carson was pissed at Rodney for the delay at getting the Colonel to treatment. As soon as they reached the infirmary, they headed for the exam area. The nurses were efficient about getting John out of his clothes. The boots and BDU’s were removed, but the t-shirt was cut off in order to not do further damage to the Colonel’s shoulder. Melody handed John’s pistol off to Teyla instead of putting it in the gun safe, knowing that that was John’s preference. As soon as they had him in a gown, Carson headed for the scanner with John. Before they moved him, Carson had two of the nurses slip a backboard under John in order to minimize further jostling of his shoulder.

The scanner showed the dislocation, already swelling. Carson slipped a painkiller into John’s IV then had his nurses steady the Colonel. Carson gripped his arm; other hand planted firmly on the shoulder, rotated it and popped the joint back in place. Even through the fog of the painkiller, John still let out a pained cry.

“Easy, son. It’s all right. Just a wee bit longer then I’ll get you some good stuff.” Carson patted John on his good shoulder, confident that the pilot could hear him in some way.

Looking back at the scanner, it showed a knot on the back of the pilot’s head as well as the broken bones in his hand. Running his hands through John’s messy hair, Carson found the lump and realized that it was bleeding. Closer examination of the lump revealed no swelling inside his skull and no fractures.

Motioning to LJ, one of the male nurses, they moved John from under the scanner and back to the treatment area. With LJ helping, Carson immobilized John’s shoulder before he gently moved John into an upright position in order to see the head wound. With John’s forehead resting against LJ’s shoulder, Carson cleaned the blood from his hair and scalp to reveal a slowly seeping gash. Fortunately, it did not need stitches as he did not want to explain to John why he was missing hair. He dabbed on a generous amount of Lidocaine, placed a thick gauze pad over it and secured it with a gauze wrap.

John’s head wound and shoulder taken care of, Carson called Dr. Thompson and they took John into surgery to fix his hand.

* * *

Teyla could tell Ronon was angry. It showed in every line of his body language. If it had not been for Mr. Woolsey’s request, one of them would have been with John and protected him. Teyla was dismayed when she had caught a glimpse of John as he lay on the gurney. In just 36 hours, his condition had changed. He went from recovering to looking worse than he did after the lightning strike. She had felt his pain through the bond even as she had felt the wrongness of his hunger and fatigue.

Her insistence that something was wrong with John was why Major Lorne had agreed to take them with him and seek out the Colonel. Even after what Rodney had recently endured, there was no logic for this mistreatment of his friend and she feared what it would do to their team.

She felt John’s relief when Carson gave him a painkiller, and she felt him relax into sleep when they gave him the anesthesia in order to fix his hand. She was glad that he was in no pain right now, but that would change once he awoke.

“We do not leave his side again.” Ronon’s rumble was edged in steel. “I do not care whose order it is; we do not leave him again.”

“I agree.” Teyla was trying hard to stay calm. “This will not happen again. He is your brother and my betrothed. We will take care of him and guard him, even if we must lock him in a jumper to do so.”

Ronon arched an eyebrow and just looked at her then nodded his agreement before resuming his pacing. “What do we do about McKay?”

Teyla shook her head. “I do not know, but I suspect that he should be left to John.”

* * *

A few hours later, Carson stepped out of the OR and headed for the waiting area. Teyla and Ronon were in the waiting area and stood as they saw Carson. Behind him, they could see John’s gurney being pushed out of the OR, headed for one of the private rooms instead of his usual corner.

“Carson, how is he?”

Carson sat down with a thump, Teyla and Ronon reclaiming their seats. “Well, the Colonel had a dislocated shoulder, which has been put back in place. He also has a concussion and a nasty lump on the back of his head from hitting a column and two broken bones plus a stab wound in his left hand from that damned dart. We had to perform surgery to set the bones in his hand and fix the other damage. He will make a complete recovery.”

Teyla was relieved to hear that John’s injuries were not severe. “Carson, why did you put him in a private room?”

Carson sighed. This was not going to be easy. “The lad’s in a private room because I’m going to need to keep him sedated and in near darkness for the next few days, possibly longer. He’s going to have the mother of all migraines when he wakes up, and total quiet and darkness, along with pain medication are the only ways to combat it.” The Scot rubbed his tired eyes. “Also, until I or John say otherwise, Rodney is not to be anywhere near Colonel Sheppard.”

Ronon frowned. He knew they had disagreed, but being barred from their team leader’s side meant something was wrong. “What did McKay do?”

“Tried to starve him. In addition to his injuries, the lad is dehydrated and malnourished. His blood sugar was very low, much lower than is healthy for someone with the Colonel’s metabolism. He also deprived him of proper rest. Before the incident with the flechette, I was about to step in and snatch the Colonel away from Rodney. He had dark circles under his eyes, his shoulders were slumped and he could barely walk straight. The poor lad was very close to collapsing.”

“I would like to believe that Rodney did not do it on purpose.”

Teyla, ever the peacemaker, trying to defend Rodney.

“He may not have done it intentionally, but he did it just the same.” Carson stood. “You can sit with him, but be very quiet. Even the smallest amount of light or noise is probably going to cause him pain. If he shows any sign of waking up, hit the call button or come get me. He’s in the last room on the right.” With that, Carson shuffled off to his office.


	7. Chapter 7

Sam Carter stepped from the Hammond’s ramp, expecting to see John and possibly some of his team. John always met her on the pier, usually with Ronon and Teyla in tow. Today, she was met by Major Lorne. That alone told her something bad had happened, she just didn’t know what.

Lorne stepped forward, nodding respectfully. “Colonel Carter, nice to see you.”

Sam returned the nod. “Major. Always glad to be back.” She looked at Lorne’s face. During his time at Cheyenne Mountain and during her tenure in Atlantis, she had learned to read him pretty well. “What happened to John and how badly is he injured?”

Lorne winced. He had forgotten how well Carter could read him. “Ma’am, it’s a long story. Let’s head to the Colonel’s office and I’ll fill you in over coffee.”

Sam Carter was astounded at what Lorne relayed. John surviving being hit by lightning and his increased bond to the city did not surprise her. What surprised her was how much of an ass Rodney was being. It was like he had reverted to the old Rodney, the one that had wanted to leave Teal’c stuck in a Gate buffer. That Rodney didn’t care about people and didn’t have friends, he was more interested in the technology and used people until they were no longer useful. She wondered if it was a residual from his time as a Wraith.

After meeting with Woolsey and going over recent news, Sam headed for the labs. As she reached that part of the city, Sam noticed that the climate had changed. The corridor was slightly cool, but the labs were deserted, literally frozen, ice riming the windows as if windows had been opened to the icy atmosphere outside. She passed Dr. Kusanagi’s lab and noticed the diminutive Japanese woman drinking tea and calmly working, wearing her usual clothes. Now more than curious, Sam headed for Radek’s lab. Upon entering, she noticed that, just like Dr. Kusanagi’s, Radek’s lab was nice and comfortable.

“Dr. Z, how’s everything?” Sam had a smile on her face as she entered the lab and spotted the Czech scientist. She was one of only two people that called him that; the other being John, and he knew that John was in the infirmary right now.

“Ah, Colonel Carter! Good to see you. You are well?” Radek pushed his glasses up his nose as he looked up from his laptop.

“Yes, fine. Saw some interesting phenomena the other day and I’ll tell you about them later, but I have some other things that I want to ask you about.”

Radek looked at her and sighed. “You want to know about Colonel and Rodney, yes?”

Sam nodded. “And why the environmentals are so screwed up in this section. Is something broken?”

“You noticed that some labs are not affected, yes?” At her nod, he continued. “Nothing is broken except for Colonel’s trust in Rodney.  That” and he waved a hand at the corridor and other labs, “started shortly after the Colonel was injured. Every scientist whose lab Rodney dragged Colonel into is affected. Mine is not because I told Rodney he was being fool. Miko’s is not because she refused. Their quarters are the same. Many are sleeping other places because Atlantis is not affecting public areas.”

Sam was astonished. She knew that the city loved John and would do anything he asked, but this… “You’re telling me that Atlantis is doing this because John is injured?”

Radek nodded. “Yes, and because of Rodney.”

Sam spotted a stool and sat down. “Tell me what you witnessed. I’ve talked to Lorne, but there were some things that he could only guess at.”

Over the next  hour, Radek filled Sam in on the events that Lorne had not witnessed or that weren’t on the cameras.

After leaving Radek’s lab, Sam headed for the mess hall. She filled a tray and spotted her XO, Major Franklin and some of the others at a table. Joining them, she made sure that the unloading went smoothly while piecing together what she had discovered. She determined that her next stop needed to be Woolsey again.

Leaving the mess hall, she headed for Woolsey’s office. The man was still there, working on reports.

“Mr. Woolsey, can I ask you something?”

Woolsey looked up. “Colonel Carter. You may ask me anything.”

Sitting down she framed her thoughts. “What have you put in your report concerning Colonel Sheppard and the lightning?”

“I simply put that he was struck by a weak bolt of lightning and suffered some burns and a few other minor injuries, nothing else.” Woolsey cleared his throat. “I know where you are going with this. I don’t want him to be a test subject for the IOA either. What has happened here will stay here. Useful information will be trickled back as database translations or experiment results, and I have withdrawn my order to the Colonel for him to assist Dr. McKay. All traces of it have been removed from the servers as well.” Woolsey looked ashamed. “I should have listened and given his concerns more credence. What I did was wrong.”

Sam nodded, relieved at what she heard. “Yes, it was. You haven’t worked with Rodney long enough. The man can become extremely obsessed with Ancient technology and John’s enhanced ability just gave him a massive overdose of obsession. When it comes to Rodney, follow John’s lead. He is the only person that can fully control Rodney’s impulses. By putting him in the position as Rodney’s assistant, you took the reins out of John’s hands.”

She took a deep breath and plowed ahead. “If he had been allowed to recover fully, John would not have had a problem assisting Rodney, but he wasn’t given that option.”

Woolsey had the grace to look ashamed. “I realize that now. Please convey my apologies to Colonel Sheppard.”

Sam stood. “I will, although he would appreciate it more from you. I’m going to the infirmary to see the Colonel. If you need me, just call.”

As she moved through the Control center, Sam stopped at one of the stations. “Liang, I need you to locate Dr. McKay for me. Do not tell him I am looking for him.”

Liang looked at her. “Is this about the Colonel?” At her nod, he continued. “Good. We did not like seeing him treated like that by a friend and I know you will take care of it.”

Sam nodded again. “I’m trying. Call me when you find him.”

* * *

_As her son slept in a haze of drugs, Atlantis decided to make those that had caused his pain suffer. She tried to catch the instigator, but he kept hiding in the damaged portions or staying in public places as if he knew that she was after him. She decided that she would have to leave his fate to her son or one of his comrades. Feeling his pain as he drifted towards consciousness, Atlantis tried to mute the song of the devices surrounding him, but she could only turn them down to a certain level. Past a certain point, the devices would cease to function. She regretted that she was causing him pain and vowed to ease his pain any way she could._

* * *

Waking was pure torture. Everything hurt. His shoulder and hand were bright flares of pain, but even they were eclipsed by the monumental migraine that he had. John could tell that he was in a darkened room, but the lights from the monitors were piercing his skull through his closed eyelids. The light leaking in from the hall didn’t help either. And the noise…he could hear every single noise: the hum of the machines, their soft beeps, the drip of the IV, footsteps, and the breathing of the person in the room. Worst of all was the noise of the Ancient machinery. It invaded every portion of his brain. He could tell that Atlantis was trying to mute it, but she could only do so much.

“John?”

Teyla’s whisper was barely audible, but it still made him whimper and shift in pain.

 _*“John, can you hear me?”*_ This time, she used the bond to whisper into his head. That was bearable.

_*”Yes. How long?”*_

_*”Two days. Are you in much pain?”*_

_*”Yes, hurts. Too much light. Too many machines.”*_

_*”I shall let Carson and Jennifer know. They will give you something for the pain.”*_

_*”Mmmm. Want to go to my room. Quieter. Darker.”*_

_*”I will let them know. I will be back, my love.”*_

_*”’kay. Love you.”*_

John felt a feather light caress on his cheek then heard soft footsteps leave the room. He drifted for a time, riding the pain as best he could, but he felt like it was a losing battle. After a short time, the soft tread returned and headed for his IV. Almost immediately, a rush of cool relief extinguished the flames in his shoulder and hand, and calmed the pain in his head. He gratefully slipped into the cool darkness.


	8. Chapter 8

When she felt his pain spike, Teyla knew John was waking. She moved as close as she could to whisper softly in his ear.

“John?”

His barely audible whimper and pain-filled motion told her that even a whisper was too much. Carson had been more right than he knew about John’s probable condition. She decided to try again.

_*“John, can you hear me?”*_

This time, she used the bond to whisper into his head. Hopefully, that would not be as painful to him.

_*”Yes. How long?”*_

She was relieved when he answered her, although even his mind-voice was a bare whisper.

_*”Two days. Are you in much pain?”*_

_*”Yes, hurts. Too much light. Too many machines.”*_

She had been concerned about that, that even this small amount of light and noise would be too much for him.

_*”I shall let Carson and Jennifer know. They will give you something for the pain.”*_

_*”Mmmm. Want to go to my room. Quieter. Darker.”*_

If, as she suspected, that it was all of the machines here in the infirmary, Terran and Ancient, then his quarters would be the best place for him since they were in an out of the way corridor. No one just happened to walk by his room unless they got really lost. An added benefit was that there would be fewer people around than in the infirmary where there was always something going on, making it difficult for a light sleeper like John.

_*”I will let them know. I will be back, my love.”*_

Hopefully, knowing that relief was on the way, he would be able to ride the pain and rest while she went to speak to Carson and Jennifer.

_*”’kay. Love you.”*_

Even though he couldn’t see it, she lightly brushed his cheek and smiled before leaving the room.

Slipping into the main portion of the infirmary, Teyla spotted both Carson and Jennifer.

“Carson. Jennifer. John is awake.”

They were both surprised; neither had expected him to wake this soon.

“Did he say anything? Was he lucid? Is he in pain?”

The two doctors traded questions like a ball.

Teyla nodded. “He did speak, but not aloud. I asked him a question in a bare whisper and it caused him great discomfort. He was lucid and complained of much pain. John said that there is still too much light and noise, plus there are too many Ancient devices around and they are adding to his pain. He wants to go to his room and I agree that it would be the best place for him.”

Carson grimaced. “Aye, I was afraid of that. With his increased sensitivity to light and sound due to the migraine plus the head injury, bein’ here is probably pure torture for the lad. I had not considered the Ancient devices into the treatment plan. I can barely hear them, but I can imagine how they would sound to someone that can hear them clearly.” He looked at Jennifer. “What do you think?”

Jennifer stared into the distance for a moment, running ideas through her head. “I don’t like the idea, but his injuries are not life-threatening. The migraine could be though, if we don’t relieve the stressors.” Jennifer grimaced.  “The problem is going to be moving him. I’m sure Atlantis would darken the corridors, but we’d need the transporters and light to see and that would be as painful as staying here, not to mention that the motion will probably make him extremely nauseous.”

“I think I can assist with that.”

All three turned to the newcomer.

“Sam, I am glad to see you.” Teyla said as she exchanged greetings.

Sam smiled. “Glad to see you too, Teyla. Carson, Jennifer, good to see you as well.” She looked at the trio as she propped her hip against the nurses’ station. “How is John doing?”

Jennifer answered this time. “He’s got a nasty lump with an ugly gash on the back of his head and a moderate concussion. He had a dislocated shoulder and has two broken bones in his left hand along with a stab wound from a shape-changing device.”

Carson picked up the litany. “In addition, he’s exhausted and slightly malnourished. He also has a truly blinding migraine headache. And this is in addition to the healing burns and shrapnel wounds.”

Sam winced when both doctors were done. “Ouch, and I thought Jack had gotten badly messed up a few times, this beats any of his.”

Teyla and both doctors shook their heads, Carson answering. “Nope, this is mild. The lad has survived much worse.

Sam conceded the point. “True. I have read the reports.”

”I do believe I heard an offer of assistance from ye?”

“You did, and I presume you were talking about moving John to his quarters for his own good?”

Carson nodded. “Aye. Stayin’ here in the infirmary is nae doin’ the lad any good. We can’t get it dark enough or quiet enough for him. Transport is the problem.”

“Well, that I can remedy easily.” Sam looked at the two doctors. “Get what Teyla and, I presume, Ronon will need to take care of him together and I’ll have Major Campbell do a site to site transport.” Sam grinned. “He’ll be in his own bed before he blinks twice.”

Carson looked at Jennifer. “Why don’t ye get what ye think they’ll need together while I get somethin’ for the Colonel’s pain.” He headed to the drug cabinet, pulled out a vial and filled a syringe. “Teyla, lass, I’m goin’ to do somethin’ unusual. I want you to give him this.” Carson handed Teyla the syringe. “Just insert it in the IV port, makin’ sure ye get the air out first.”

“I remember how, Carson,” Teyla looked at the Scottish doctor, a question in her eyes, “but why?”

“Because you can move quieter and if I go in there, I’m goin’ to want to check his vitals an’ the last thing he needs is to be bothered.” Carson smiled a bit sheepishly. “It’s also because your presence is soothing to the poor lad. Now get on with ye.”

Teyla headed off, hearing the bustle behind her as Jennifer and Marie gathered the needed supplies. Reaching John’s room once again, she slipped in as quietly as she could. She knew he wasn’t asleep so she stepped carefully to his IV and injected the syringe. After just a moment, she could feel his relief as the powerful drug pulled him into the sweet arms of oblivion.

* * *

_As the doctors prepared to move her favorite son, Atlantis made some preparations of her own. She darkened his quarters, turning the lights out completely then used the crystal conduits to make the walls glow softly. The light would be diffuse enough that it would not pain her son. She also darkened the corridor outside his quarters so that no light would penetrate whenever the door opened. Atlantis knew that her son and his mate would appreciate her efforts._

* * *

The transfer went smoothly. It had only taken just a few minutes to gather the needed supplies and prep John for the move. It took a couple of Marines a few more minutes to clear enough space for the bed. Now the injured pilot was sleeping soundly in his quarters, Teyla by his side to watch over him. Atlantis darkened the corridor leading to his quarters, shading it from barely dim at the edges to deep twilight in front of his door. Inside, the curtains were drawn over the window, blocking out all light except for a dim blue glow. There were no monitors in the room, not even an IV stand, although the catheter had been left in to make it easier to administer his pain meds. Two squads of Marines guarded the corridor, one at either end and under orders to only let certain people pass. Considering how obsessed some of the scientists could be when it came to their pet projects, Lorne ordered that the squads be armed with stunners. He felt that the visible threat would be enough to persuade even the most hard-headed scientist to respect John’s privacy. Lorne knew that the Marines would not hesitate to use the stunners if that was what it took for them to protect their beloved CO.

As John slept, Teyla ghosted throughout his room, straightening and putting things away. The Athosian bed that Atlantis had decorated took up much more room than his previous one. To fit it they had to push many things aside. Many of the larger items were stacked in one corner due to his lack of floor space. This room was larger than his original one, but, if they were to be together, it was time to find a new one. Once he was feeling better, they could go over the city maps and look at the unclaimed residences for something they both would like.

John lay in the bed, covers pulled up to his chest. His right arm, sporting the catheter, rested across his chest. His left arm was propped on a pillow, with the hand laying on an additional one to elevate it. His head was turned to the right in order to relieve pressure from the gash on the back of his head. Since Sam had beamed him into his quarters four hours ago, the pain lines around his mouth and eyes had faded, leaving him relaxed and younger looking.

She walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. This one was much bigger than his old one and could hold both of them comfortably as neither were restless sleepers. Reaching over, Teyla brushed his hair back from his forehead, noting that it would need to be trimmed soon. Leaning back, she noticed the fingers on his right hand twitch. She took his hand in hers and was rewarded with another twitch, the fingers curling slightly around hers, gripping lightly.

“John, are you awake?” Her voice was soft as a spring breeze. She could see his eyes moving, eyelids twitching as he struggled to open them. Finally, her patience was rewarded with a sliver of hazel peering at her.


	9. Chapter 9

John did not want to wake up. Ever since Carson had sent Teyla in with the good stuff, his mind and body had floated on a foggy sea, wrapped in the softest cotton. He felt it when Sam used the transporter to move him from the infirmary to his quarters and was glad that someone, probably Teyla or Carson, had covered his eyes with a sleeping mask before transport because the flash would have made him scream in pain. As the fog receded, John knew he was in his quarters because the room was blessedly silent except for the little homey sounds that Teyla was making as she straightened his room. The texture of the blanket under his hands was another clue. He recognized it as the thick, blue woven one that Teyla had given him for his birthday a few years earlier. He hadn’t used it much on Lantana or New Lantana, but now that they were on Ice Planet Zero he was getting a lot of use out of it. He could still hear Atlantis, but here she did not have to mute the systems, so her singing soothed his sore head.

Teyla brushing his hair back pulled him from the fog a bit more. He twitched, wanting to take her hand. When she grasped his hand, he curled his fingers around hers, letting her know he knew she was there. She called his name and he struggled to open his heavy eyelids. Finally, he managed to pry them open just a slit to test the darkness of the room. Finding it suitable, John opened them wider, focusing on Teyla’s face as he did so.

Before he could speak, Teyla picked up a cup with a straw and held it to his lips. Taking small sips, John shot her a thankful look. Finally having enough, he pulled away.

“Hey, Teyla.” Even after the water, he still sounded rough, but at least he wasn’t coughing, for which his still aching body thanked him.

 _*“John, how are you feeling?”*_ Teyla smiled as she gently brushed her hand through his dark hair, shifting to mind-speech in order to cause him less pain.

He took a moment to assess his condition. His migraine was tolerable right now, the shoulder and hand throbbing but not intolerable. He also noticed that he was wearing his own clothes and not a gown or scrubs. He figured that Teyla had dressed him after they arrived in his quarters. _*“Sore, but better now that I’m out of the infirmary. I take it the Docs believed you?”*_

Teyla smiled as she looked at her beloved. _*“Carson did. He is very sorry that he did not think of the effect of being around so many devices for you. The corridor outside is dimmed as well and Major Lorne has a squad of Marines posted at either end. You will not be bothered. Ronon is out there as well. He is very upset that this happened to you.”*_

John shifted a bit to ease some of his soreness and decided to switch to regular speech. “I’m not exactly thrilled either. So, how bad off am I?”

“When you hit the column, you hit your head. You have a concussion as well as a lump and a gash on the back of your head, but it did not need stitches. Your left shoulder was dislocated and will be fine in a few days, although Carson said to avoid heavy lifting for another week.” Taking a deep breath, Teyla continued. “His words were ‘The lad is nae to lift anything heavier than a pint o’ beer for at least a week’.”

John chuckled softly at Teyla’s imitation of the Scottish doctor’s brogue, Teyla joining in.

“Your left hand is more severely injured. The device that stabbed you broke two of the bones. They will heal, but you are not to use that hand for anything until the stitches are removed. By that time, Carson said the bones will be about half-healed. There was also muscle and tendon damage which has been fixed as well. Carson and Dr. Thompson repaired all of the damage and say that you will regain full use.”

“That’s great.” John took a deep breath, letting it out slowly and feeling some of his tension evaporate as well.

“Carson said you may get up and move around if you feel like it, but you are not to do so alone.” Teyla glanced down at him, smile gone. “We are very upset by how Rodney treated you. Even Jennifer is mad at him. Sam and Mr. Woolsey have asked that you speak to Atlantis and get her to defrost the labs and the scientists.”

“Defrost?” John shot up from his pillows, but his head had other ideas as shooting pain exploded behind his eyes and traveled down his neck causing him to let out a sharp cry and slump back. He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths to control the spikes of pain. Once he had it under control, John opened his eyes again, blinking back tears.

Teyla waited until his pain ebbed before continuing. “Radek feels that Atlantis is punishing the scientists that participated in Rodney’s research. All of the labs Rodney took you to are coated in ice. The scientists’ quarters are the same. Many have temporarily moved in with scientists that were not involved or have been sleeping in public places. The only ones to not suffer were Radek and Miko.”

John looked up at Teyla as he processed her words. “I’ll take care of it.” He closed his eyes again as the pain started flowing back. “Did the good doctor send any of the good stuff with you? I hate to say it, but this migraine is coming back.”

He heard Teyla stand and move towards his desk.

“He did and I am glad you asked for it. You will get better quicker if you are not in great pain.”

As she came back and injected the drugs into his catheter, John reached out to Atlantis. _*”Lantis, please defrost the labs and the residences of all of the scientists. I will take care of the one responsible.”*_

_*”Very well, my son, I will defer to you in this matter. Now rest and be well.”*_

John sighed as he felt the coolness of the good drugs chase away the migraine and felt Teyla’s hand brushing through his hair as he slipped into a deep sleep.

* * *

Sam had just finished coordinating the transport for John when Liang notified her of Rodney’s location. He had just been spotted in the mess hall. Sam did not want to have the coming confrontation in public, so she thought of where she could have it and smiled. She headed for the East Pier, where the _Hammond_ was docked and did a site to site of her own. She then threaded the maze of corridors and entered the F302 bay. Rodney didn’t seem to have noticed the difference in locales, so she walked up and took his tray and tablet from him. That got his attention.

“Huh...wha…what’s going on? Give that back!” Rodney looked for the person that had emptied his hands.

“Well, Rodney, nice to see you too.” Sam leaned against a bulkhead nearby, his tray beside her and his tablet in her hand.

“Sam! I didn’t know you were here. Um, when did you arrive?”

Sam straightened and walked over. “I’ve been here most of the day. Certainly long enough to see that you reverted to form and decided to start treating your friends as possessions.”

Rodney stared at her for a minute. “Oh, you’ve seen Sheppard. He’s got Carson and the rest fooled into thinking that he’s seriously injured. Mr. ‘I’m fine’ is fine and is just pretending. He just doesn’t want me to succeed and that’s why he won’t help me. He wants the credit for himself, you see.”

Sam shook her head, flabbergasted at what she was hearing. “That is not the John Sheppard I know. As many times as he’s been injured by misunderstood devices, it’s in his best interest to know what condition they’re in and what they do.” She stepped up and got right in Rodney’s face. She knew it would irritate him and if she got him riled up, maybe he’d start thinking instead of acting like a spoiled child.

Rodney waved off her comments with a lazy hand. “He gets hurt because he can’t keep his hands to himself.” His face changed as a strange thought crossed his mind. “Oh god, that’s probably why I get injured so often. He has to play hero and come to the rescue of the poor scientist!”

“Really, Rodney? You poor thing, always having to be rescued.” Sam’s snark meter was rising. “Huh, so John, who happens to be your best friend, only saves you so he can look good.” She snapped her fingers several times. “That must be why you always want to take a jumper – it’s to carry your huge ego!”

Sam stalked over and grabbed Rodney’s shirt. “I happen to know that you get injured because you argue when you should be running! As a matter of fact, Colonel Sheppard gets injured more than you do because he’s always protecting your ass!”

Sam released Rodney, propelling him away before she lost her cool and slugged him. Rodney, not expecting the sudden movement, stumbled and tripped over his own feet, causing him to fall forward and land hard on the hangar floor.

Rodney slowly raised his left hand to touch his bleeding lip. Irritated beyond belief now, Sam started pacing as she released her anger. “God, Rodney, you take the cake. First you want to leave Teal’c stuck in a Gate buffer. Now you want to treat your best friend like a slave and tell him to abandon his duty and anything else he may want to do. Actually, slaves at least get to eat and sleep, so he’s what, a robot?”

She started pacing around Rodney and he just stood there, still as a statue. As she turned, a flash caught her eye from Rodney’s left hand. Sam knew that Rodney did not wear any jewelry, so she grabbed his hand and looked closer. On Rodney’s pinky finger was a ring of black metal. As she touched it, there was a spark and the ring came free. It bounced on the deck and started to roll but Sam was on it before it got far. She grabbed a plastic parts container out of a nearby bin and dropped the ring into it.

As Sam ranted, she wasn’t paying much attention to Rodney, but when he called her name, she stopped at the strange tone of voice.

“Sam? What did I do?”

Rodney looked lost. Sam stopped in front of him, hands on her hips. “Where shall I start? It’s more like what didn’t you do. You set up unauthorized testing, told the military commander of this city to abandon his duties, lied to the head of the expedition and got him to order said commander to assist you, and treated said commander like a possession through overwork. Shall I go on?”

During her recitation, Rodney had turned pale.

“Um…uh…how is he?”

“He’s resting in his quarters, recovering from a blinding migraine and his other injuries as well as the effects of dehydration and malnutrition.”

Rodney winced. He had really screwed up this time. His trust account with Sheppard had just bottomed out and he knew it would take some time to build it up again.

As Sam tucked the container into her pocket, she caught movement in the corner of her eye and turned to see Rodney, pale and wobbling. She caught Rodney just as he collapsed, before he hit the deck.


	10. Chapter 10

Rodney awoke to someone patting his cheek a bit harder than necessary.

“C’mon Rodney, wake up.” That was Sam and she sounded irritated and worried.

He managed to open his eyes, wincing at the pain in his jaw and the pounding headache. “Sam?”

“Rodney.” He could hear the edge in her voice. “Where did you get this?” She held up the ring.

“Dr. Ferrin. I ran into him outside of my lab. He told me it was a mark of status among the Ancients and he thought I should have it.”

Sam sat back on her stool. “I’ve been running it through the database while you were out. It’s actually a screwed up version of an Ancient mood ring. It magnifies emotions instead of just announcing them and can even induce them.”

Rodney sat up, noticing for the first time that he was in the _Hammond’s_ infirmary. “So it’s responsible for my slave owner attitude towards my best friend?”

Sam nodded. “I believe so. It took your obsession with all things Ancient and probably a bit of residual jealousy on your part towards John and blew it all out of proportion. To borrow one of the military’s favorite terms – it caused the situation to go FUBAR.”

Rodney grimaced. “Okay, yeah. I’ll admit to being a tiny bit jealous of John, but not so much that I want his gene. It gets him into way too much trouble, trouble that I couldn’t deal with, like that business with Dorane and his Repository. I don’t think I would have handled that as well as he did. And, as much as I would like to be able to turn things on for myself, it’s kinda hard to watch readings when you’re trying to not get blown up or zapped by some crazy assed Ancient device. The Ancients could definitely have used some better documentation standards.”

Sam allowed herself a little smile. Now this was the Rodney McKay that they all knew. She put out her hand.

“C’mon, Rodney. You have an appointment. I called Carson; he and Jennifer gave their permission for you to see John, as long as the good doctor, Teyla, Ronon and I are present.”

Rodney accepted the hand, a frown crossing his bruised and puffy face. “Great, an audience. Am I that dangerous?”

Sam shook her head, a grim look on her face. “The audience is not for John’s protection, it’s for yours.”

* * *

Lorne met them as they entered from the East Pier. He fell in on Rodney’s other side from Sam as escort and informed them that he would also be present at the meeting. 

Rodney felt like a prisoner being escorted to his doom. He shook his head; not a pleasant thought. He wondered what kind of mood Sheppard would be in. Hopefully, he’d be on the good drugs and kinda loopy. The alternative, which was dealing with a completely lucid and angry Sheppard, gave him chills.

As they approached the darkened corridor leading to Sheppard’s quarters, Rodney realized that Sam hadn’t been exaggerating when she said Sheppard had a blinding migraine. Mentally reining himself in, Rodney vowed to be on his best behavior. It took a lot of willpower to not flinch as they walked up to the Marine squad at this end of the corridor. Rodney presumed there was another at the other end.

While the Marines parted and allowed the trio to pass without a word being spoken, their eyes said plenty. Rodney realized just how much hinged on Sheppard’s forgiveness. Carson and Ronon were waiting at the door.

Carson noticed the bruising on Rodney’s face, but did not comment on it. He figured that Rodney could stand not to be coddled in this instance. “Rodney. Sam arranged this for ye, so I suggest ye not screw it up. Do not get the Colonel agitated. His blood sugar and hydration are back where they should be, but the migraine is still severe so keep your voice down.”

Rodney glanced at the floor for a moment before looking the Scot in the face. “I can’t even express how sorry I am, but if there is a reckoning, I’ll accept whatever decision Sheppard makes.” He glanced at Lorne. “Is Woolsey coming too?”

The answer came from Carson. “No. Mr. Woolsey feels that, even though he was party to it, that this is a private matter between you and John.”

Lorne looked at Carson. “Doc, do you want me to stay out here?”

Carson shook his head. “No, laddie, I think the more the merrier for this party.”

So Lorne, Carson, Sam and Ronon escorted Rodney in to see his friend – and to find out if he still had that friend.

* * *

After she administered the painkiller and John had relaxed back into a healing sleep, Teyla decided to sit on the bed beside him and read. She placed a couple of firm pillows against the headboard and settled in with her tablet. She loved to read during storms like the one raging outside. Until they landed on this planet, she had never seen lightning during a snowstorm. It was beautiful and frightening. If it were not for John’s condition, they would have the curtains open and would be snuggled together, talking and watching the storm with Torren playing or sitting with them.

After about ten minutes, she felt warmth against her leg and looked down to see that John had snuggled up to her, his head partially on her thigh and his left arm draped across her knees, the rest of his six foot frame sprawled in the remaining space. Carefully, Teyla reached down and started stroking his hair. John let out a soft noise of contentment and snuggled in closer. As she brushed his thick hair, she realized that he was paying her a compliment by being this relaxed in her presence.

They stayed that way for a while, until her radio chirped. It was Carson, and he wanted to bring Sam and Rodney for a visit.

Teyla frowned at the doctor’s request. “Is this a good idea, Carson?”

“Teyla, love, I’m not sure, but I do know that the longer the situation remains unresolved, the uglier the resolution will be.” 

She could hear the worry in Carson’s voice. They all knew what John could do when he was hurt or felt cornered.

“He is asleep right now.” She checked her watch, “He will probably be awake shortly when his last dose of painkiller starts wearing off.”

“Alright, love, we’ll be there soon.”

When the quartet arrived, Ronon ushered them in. Teyla saw them stop just inside the door to let their eyes adjust to the dimness. Atlantis was providing the light—the walls literally glowed. It was enough to see by, but not enough to have John screaming in pain.

As his eyes adjusted, Rodney started making out shapes. He noticed the bed in the center because the metallic filigree was glowing like the walls. Slowly, the shapes along the walls coalesced into John’s surfboard, skateboard, desk and a couple of small crates of personal belongings that he didn’t have room to unpack. The next point of focus was the occupants of the bed itself. Teyla was reclined against some pillows piled against the headboard and John was curled up next to her. Upon seeing his friend, Rodney almost turned and begged Ronon to shoot him. John looked haggard and pale with dark circles and faint pain lines around his eyes, his injured left hand lying across Teyla’s knees, twitching as he dreamed. He fumbled his way to a stool beside the bed and just sat, quietly watching his friend. He could feel the others taking up positions around the bed. 

“Carson, Sam, I think…”

Seeing John sleeping peacefully, Carson was about to call the visit off when Rodney spoke. The next thing he knew, a yell sounded, just before John shot bolt upright, twisted and slugged Rodney. Carson and Lorne caught Rodney before his head hit the floor while Teyla and Sam tried to calm John down.

“Ow! What the hell?”

“Rodney, are ye alright?” Carson’s blue eyes showed concern.

Rodney waved him off. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

 “John? Wake up, John.” Teyla had one hand on his shoulder, supporting the swaying pilot as he surfaced from the nightmare.

Sam lightly tapped him on the cheek. “C’mon, John. Wake up. Rodney came to…”

Blinking the sleep from his eyes, John spotted Rodney being helped up by Carson and Evan.

“Come to drag me back, you bastard?” John shrugged off Teyla and Sam, fixing Rodney with an icy glare where he stood with Carson and Lorne. “Well, you can forget it ‘cause I’ll fight you this time! I will not let you treat me as less than I am just to fulfill your own ambitions.” John’s voice and eyes were clear and hard without any drug haze.

 _Oh shit. A pissed off Sheppard – not good in sooo many ways._ Rodney cringed inside, but on the outside he just stood and accepted Sheppard’s anger. It was no less than he deserved.

“If you had just waited a few days, I would have been glad to help you.” The sneer and sarcasm in John’s voice were thick enough to cut with a knife. “But, no, that was too long for the great Dr. Meredith Rodney McKay, so you go over my head and get Woolsey to order me to ‘assist’ you.”

John ran his good hand through his hair, frustration, anger and hurt evident in his body language. “I thought we were friends, and then you pull this crap on me.” He looked at a stunned Rodney as he stood frozen. “You know how seriously I take my duties, yet you told me to forget about them!” 

“Sheppard, I…”

John climbed out of bed, forgetting his headache as he locked his knees and focused on the object of his misery, his voice dripping with disdain. “As if telling me that I should be your slave wasn’t bad enough, you parade me through the labs so all your minions can share in my humiliation.” 

Ronon, Carson and Lorne watched their friend as he vented his anger, pain and hurt of the past few days upon Rodney. None of them moved to intervene because they felt he deserved it. They were there as witnesses and to keep John from killing or seriously injuring Rodney.

John stalked closer to Rodney, eyes dark and icy, anger in every line of his lanky frame. John reached out and grabbed Rodney by his shirtfront, his voice low and rough. “I am no one’s toy. I am the military commander of this city and you would do well to remember that.”

As John took a breath, Sam decided to risk life and limb to put the tiger back in its cage or at least calm it down. “John, there’s something you should know.”

Sam held up the container with the ring in it. “I found this on Rodney after I beamed him over to the Hammond. When I touched it, there was a spark before it fell free.  According to the database, it acts as an amplifier for thoughts and emotions.”

John stared at the ring for a long moment, his eyes gradually lightening back to hazel, before he reached out slowly and took the container from her hand with his bandaged and splinted left. “It’s not just a mood amplifier. It and its mate can be used to actively influence a person’s mental state.” He glanced up at Sam before returning his attention to the ring. “It sparked because you don’t have the gene. It only works on those with the ATA gene.”

“It’s mate? The database didn’t mention a mate.” Rodney forgot his fear of retribution. “Sam showed me the entry.”

“Doc, you know the database doesn’t contain everything.” Evan’s drawl was calm and measured. “Hell, how many times have you complained about that very fact, yet here you are, ready to believe that the database is complete.”

Rodney drew himself up, having forgotten about John’s grip on his shirt. “True, but usually if there are missing parts we at least have a clue that they were there. This entry only spoke of the one.”

Holding the jar in his left, John let go of Rodney’s shirt, his anger redirected towards the instigator of his troubles. He unscrewed the top and shook the ring out into his right hand. Fist clenched around the offending ring, John mentally followed its connection to its twin, pale blue light flickering around his closed fist. John saw that Dr. Ferrin was in his lab, working on another experiment while watching the security feeds that he had tapped into to monitor John’s quarters. Through the ring, John could feel Ferrin’s jealousy, insecurity and anger--jealousy due to John’s powerful gene; insecurity because with his stronger connection to Atlantis, Ferrin felt that John was a threat to his position; and anger at Rodney for shoving John’s abilities in his face. 

As John traced the ring, the rest were discussing the implications of what had been revealed.

“This is not good.” Lorne was upset. “If someone can sabotage our Head Scientist and turn him and our Military Commander against each other, what other surprises are out there?”

Ronon pulled his pistol. “I say we just go shoot the bastard and hang him by his…”

“Okay, no need to get graphic, Conan.” Rodney cut Ronon’s description off. “The important thing here is that we are on to him and that we know this type of device exists. I can get some of the researchers to scour the database to see if there are more and, when he feels better, Sheppard can query Atlantis about them, plus check some of the unknown devices.”

“Now, Rodney, don’t ye think that ye should ask the Colonel before ye go volunteerin’ him?” Carson’s brogue was thick with exasperation. “Remember, ye daft bugger, that attitude is what got ye in this mess in the first place.”

Realizing that Carson was right, Rodney turned to John. “Sheppard…? Colonel…?” Rodney looked at John and noticed the thousand yard stare as he got no response. Waving his hand in front of John’s face, Rodney tried again. “Sheppard, um…would you mind…”

“Lorne, send a squad of Marines to Dr. Ferrin’s lab and arrest him. He did this on purpose.” John’s voice was flat and seemed to come from a distance.

As Lorne tapped his radio to dispatch a squad, Teyla voiced her confusion.

“Why? I do not understand this.”

“Teyla, it was out of jealousy. Jealousy of me and of Rodney.” John still maintained that long stare and his voice sounded slightly strained. “He felt threatened and thought that this would drive a wedge between us.”

Carson ran a hand through his hair. “Well, laddie, it almost worked. Fortunately, both of you realize what happened and are willing to let it go.”

Rodney shook his head. “No, Carson, I can’t just let it go. That ring wouldn’t have worked unless there was something for it to work with.” He faced John, taking a deep breath before continuing. “Sheppard… John, I am so sorry. There are not words enough to say just how sorry I am. I want to get the answers to so many questions, but not like this…not at the cost of your health and our friendship. Your friendship means more to me than anything else.”

When no answer was immediately forthcoming, Rodney frowned and turned away. “I don’t get you, Sheppard. I pour my heart out and you just stand there, staring into space. What, the spots on the wall more interesting than…”

“Sheppard!”

Ronon’s exclamation had him turn around at just the right moment to catch John as he collapsed. Rodney quickly locked his arms around his friend as the semi-conscious pilot’s weight fell on him. Rodney could feel John’s breath against the side of his neck, soft and steady. Ronon and Carson moved in and took John’s limp form from his arms, putting him back on his bed.

John roused as Carson and Ronon got him settled. He opened his eyes to see six pair of worried ones staring at him. “Sorry, that took a bit out of me.”

They exchanged worried glances. Predictably, it was Rodney that spoke first. “What did you do?”

John closed his eyes, took a deep breath then let it out slowly before reopening his eyes. “I used this ring” and he held up the one Rodney had been wearing, except that it was now tarnished instead of shiny, “to find the mate. That was how I knew Dr. Ferrin was involved. I was also able to access his thoughts through his connection to the device.”

John rolled his head slightly to look at Rodney. “He did this out of jealousy. The gene therapy didn’t take in him so he has to depend on others to activate devices for him. Ferrin had one of his assistants initialize the rings. He overheard you and Radek talking about my enhanced connection and figured that he could get rid of at least one, maybe two thorns in his side.”

“So he planted the ring on me.” Rodney’s voice was flat with anger.

“Yep.” John nodded slightly. “He figured that, at the very least, he would succeed in breaking up the Dynamic Duo of Sheppard and McKay. His fondest desire was for one or both of us to be sent back to Earth in disgrace, as a lab subject or dead.”

Sam looked at John. “Are you sure?”

John nodded slightly again, grimacing at the pain in his head. “I am. If you check his lab, you’ll find that he tapped into the security feeds and has been watching my quarters like a hawk. He also documented everything.”

Sam looked at Lorne. “Woolsey needs to know this. I’ll tell him.” As she moved carefully towards the door, she looked at the group surrounding the bed and its injured occupant. Teyla was still on the bed, John lying next to her. Ronon was standing against the wall on John’s side of the bed, watching everything and everyone. Carson was sitting on the edge of the bed, checking John’s vitals. Rodney was standing just behind Carson, gaze fixed on his friend. Lorne was standing at the foot of the bed, observing and within reach.

Fixing her gaze on John, she asked the all-important question. “John, are you two good?”

John shifted a bit before fixing Rodney with a deep stare. After a few moments, he answered without shifting his hazel gaze away from Rodney’s blue one. “Yeah, we’re good.”

A small smile blossomed on his face before John let his eyes close and drifted off to sleep.

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

Rodney just sat and watched John sleep while Lorne talked with the squad that he had sent to arrest Ferrin.

“The Colonel was right.” Lorne rubbed the back of his neck, a habit that Rodney suspected he had picked up from Sheppard. “Sgt. Morris found the video links and some other interesting looking pieces of Ancient tech. He also found documentation revealing Dr. Ferrin’s experiment with the two of you. He’s currently in the brig.”

Teyla caught Rodney’s gaze as she stroked John’s hair. “He is much happier and more relaxed now. Clearing the air between the two of you has helped his pain as well.”

Rodney looked away. “I’m glad. I hate that I caused him this much pain, even if it wasn’t all my fault.” He held up a hand, knowing what Teyla was about to say. “I may not be wholly responsible, but my actions led to this, so I am responsible.”

“Yeah, you are.” Ronon’s soft rumble held only plain truth.

Rodney looked at his teammates: John asleep on the bed, Teyla beside him watching over him and Ronon, standing against the wall at the head of the bed guarding them all. “Are we good?”

Ronon looked at him then at John. “We’ll be good when he’s up and around.”

Teyla looked at Ronon then at Rodney. “I am satisfied. You are welcome to visit if you wish. I am sure John will appreciate it and I do need to spend some time with Torren. Amelia tells me that he has been asking about his Da.”

“He has.” Ronon answering surprised them. “I told him that his Da was sick and that his Mom was taking good care of him and that he could see him in a day or so. He was happy with that answer.”

Teyla nodded towards Ronon. “Thank you.”

Ronon ducked his head. “Not a problem. He’s a good kid.”

They stayed that way for a while. Lorne had left after making sure that the squads on guard duty knew that Rodney had permission to be there. The trio talked about general things, keeping the conversation light. 

When Ronon stepped out to get dinner for the team, Rodney looked around and noticed the cluttered rat’s nest that John’s quarters were currently. “I think it’s time for new quarters.”

Teyla looked around. Even with the straightening that she and Ronon had done, the room still was jumbled and cramped. “It is. I feel it is time that we move to the next step and find quarters for the three of us.”

“I agree.”

John’s soft whisper startled them both.

Teyla and Rodney helped him shift and sit up. Teyla put several plump pillows behind John to support him as Rodney grabbed a water bottle and handed it to his friend.

As John sipped water, he looked around the room and decided to try brightening the room. He reached out and started increasing the illumination until it just bordered on painful. When it reached that level, he backed it down just enough to be comfortable.

Rodney grabbed his tablet and turned it on then noticed that the room was getting brighter. “Hey, it’s getting brighter.” He looked at John. “The migraine going away?”

John nodded gingerly. “Yeah, it’s easing up, so I thought I’d lighten the place up a bit; plus, if I don’t it’s going to be harder for me to adjust later on.” John shifted a bit. “The hand hurts and my shoulder’s sore, plus the back of my head is still tender. The good news is that the burns are almost healed and that the hair in certain areas is growing back.” Teyla colored slightly with the last remark.

Tablet booted up, Rodney looked at the pair. “So, what do you want for new quarters?”

Teyla and John looked at each other and answered simultaneously. “Bedrooms for the kids.”

Rodney almost fell off his stool in shock. “You…you’re…”

John laughed softly, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. “No, no more on the way…yet. But we would like Torren to have his own bedroom so we can have privacy.” 

Teyla blushed.

“We could just get one big suite and all of us move in.” Rodney tossed the idea out to the pair.

“No!” Another simultaneous reply.

“We’re a team, but we need some time away from each other, Rodney. Plus, I think Amelia and Jennifer may have something to say about that.” John grinned as he said it. “Hey, even Batman and Robin sleep in separate bedrooms, plus you snore.”

Rodney straightened, indignant. “I do not! And we’d still have separate bedrooms.”

“We want a door that I can lock between us and everyone else so, no, Rodney, and that’s final.” John shot a mild glare at the scientist. “You can move nearby, but not in the same suite.”

Rodney sighed. He’d tried and failed. Oh, well, time to move on. “So what features do you want, other than bedrooms, since we’re doing _House Hunters: Atlantis_?”

As John looked at Teyla again, Rodney realized that they were using the _shareen_ bond.

It was Teyla that answered this time. “A large balcony that catches the sun and overlooks the city; at least three bedrooms, although four would be better; a small room to use as an armory; close access to a transporter, the Gateroom and the Jumper bay; and that the suite be off the main corridors.”

Rodney had typed this in as she spoke. After a few minutes, the directory offered up a few choices. Rodney turned his tablet around and saw John wince in pain, his eyes snapping shut, when the brighter light of the tablet’s screen hit him in the face. “Oops,” and turned the tablet back, “sorry about that.”

John waved off the apology. “It’s okay. I know you didn’t mean it.” He took a deep breath and released it, the pain flowing away with it. “Why don’t the two of you go over by the window and look at the floor plans?” He glanced at Teyla. “You know what we want and I trust you. I’m going to take a nap until dinner arrives.”

“Are you sure, John? You do not mind?”

He yawned, his eyes narrowing to slits. “Go on, I’m sure.”

They could tell he was losing the fight against sleep.

Teyla leaned over and kissed him. “Alright, my love. Rest and we will wake you when Ronon arrives with dinner.”

John’s sleepy smile was her answer as his eyelids drooped and his breathing evened out.


	12. Chapter 12

On his way to the mess hall, Ronon received a call from Amelia. She had been keeping Torren the last few days. On answering her call, Ronon found that Amelia had to fill in for another tech that was in the infirmary, so Ronon met her between the Gateroom and the mess hall so she could pass Torren over.

As he saw the boy, Ronon knelt. “Hey, Torren. You been good?”

Torren nodded, one hand holding Amelia’s, the other holding a blue teddy bear that John had bought for him on Earth. “Yes, Unca Ronon. Gonna see Da and Mama?”

Ronon picked the toddler up, balancing the boy on his shoulder. “Yup. We’re gonna get some dinner and take to them. Did you eat yet?” At the boy’s head shake, Ronon continued. “Okay, dinner for five it is then.”

The pair entered the mess hall and picked out dinner for the extended team. As they were loading a cart with the plates, Sam Carter came in and spotted them. Realizing what Ronon was doing, she helped and announced her intention to join them. Ronon approved of the idea, as it would give them a chance to talk and make plans. Sam grabbed a second cart in order to make room for extra dishes and then Radek joined them. He wished to have dinner with the group as well because there were some issues that he needed to discuss with the team. With Radek’s addition, they finished picking up the food and hurried out before anyone else joined the party.

They were a short way down the corridor, heading for Sheppard’s room when hurried footsteps sounded behind them. Lorne caught up a moment later, tray in hand and joined the dinner party.

Upon entering Sheppard’s quarters, Ronon set Torren down while he sorted out the food. 

Seeing his Da, Torren walked over and climbed up on the bed with John. 

Teyla and Rodney came over to help Ronon and to wake John up once everything was sorted. Teyla spotted Torren and looked at Ronon, an eyebrow arched in question.

“Amelia had to cover for one of the other techs, so I met her. Torren won’t disturb his Da, will you?”

This last was directed at Torren.

“Nope. I will protect Da.” He looked at Teyla. “Mama, Da feeling better?”

Teyla sat on the edge of the bed and hugged Torren. “He is and he will be happy to see you. We are going to look at new quarters in a few days so that we can be together. Do you want to come along?”

Torren nodded and bounced happily.

The bounce plus the voices woke John. As he blinked awake, the first thing John saw was the rest of his family. He reached over and snagged Torren, dragging the toddler to him as he sat up. “Hey, buddy, heard you missed me.”

Torren turned and hugged John. “Da! Are you feeling better?”

John nodded, a warm smile lighting up his whole face as he returned the hug. “I am. I feel better than I have in a week.”

Torren glanced up at John. “Can we stay here tonight?”

John looked at Teyla, a question in his eyes before he looked down at the boy beside him. “Sure, you can stay tonight. You’ll have to share the bed with me and your Mama though.”

Torren beamed a child’s pure smile at that.

As the food was distributed with Torren and Teyla settling in on either side of John, conversation turned towards setting attitudes straight. 

“There are many scientists clamoring for your services, Colonel.” Radek stated as he worked on a plate of meatloaf.”

Sam agreed, glancing up from her own meatloaf. “I noticed some lurking nearby, almost as if they were trying to ambush you.”

Ronon looked up, his gaze sharp, a thick roast beef sandwich in his hand. “That’s not gonna happen. Sheppard leaves this room, Teyla and I will be with him. There will be no repeats.”

Radek nodded. “Agreed. Some of them,” and he waved a hand towards the labs, “are lazy and looking for easy way. They see this as glory without pain.”

Sam grimaced, thinking about the greed of some of the science team. “I think a show of support and attitude may be necessary.”

“I agree.” This from Lorne perched on his boss’s desk, waving a chicken strip as a pointer. “Solidarity and attitude are definitely needed. If we don’t show that there will be consequences, the scientists will be ambushing the Colonel every time he steps foot out in the corridors.”

“They can try.” Ronon’s rumble was full of threat.

“Okay, Chewie, calm down.” John patted the air in a calming motion while not overbalancing his turkey and Swiss sandwich. He looked at Radek. “Are there many scientists that we’re gonna have to worry about?”

Radek nodded, pushing his glasses up his nose. “Most that work with Ancient tech or that are cataloguing the database. I had talk with engineers. They are being reasonable and will abide by rules.”

“We’re gonna have to talk to the Marines and Airmen too, sir.” Lorne didn’t sound happy.

“Lorne?” John’s drawl held a wealth of questions, as did the cocked eyebrow that accompanied it.

“Over the past four days, I’ve been approached by quite a few of our contingent that have expressed their thoughts about the situation. I’ve overheard a lot more.” Lorne let out a sigh. “The gist is that many of the Marines are unhappy with what happened to you. I’ve heard rumors that some have threatened unspecified retaliation against Dr. McKay.”

John sat up straight on the bed. “That will not be tolerated.” The tone of command in his voice was unmistakable. He moved his glance around the room, taking in each person present. Mindful of the small person at his side, John kept his tone even. “This is going to require special handling. I plan to rest tomorrow and find new quarters the day after, which is Wednesday.” John pinned his gaze on Lorne. “I’ll let Woolsey know that I want all Gate travel suspended for Friday. All military personnel are to assemble in the auditorium at 1000 hours for a mandatory meeting.” He turned to Sam. “Sam, can I borrow some of the Hammond’s SO’s? I’ll need guards for the Gateroom and security for the assembly.”

“Sure, John.” Sam’s expression turned thoughtful. “Are you expecting trouble?”

John shook his head carefully. “No, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. I won’t allow this kind of behavior. We all live in each other’s pockets here and we all need to get along.” He glanced over at Rodney. “If I can forgive, so can they.” 

Shifting his head to include Radek, John continued. “Radek, Rodney, I want all of the scientists that are concerned in any way with the technology or the database to gather that afternoon at 1400 hours for an encore of the morning session. Don’t tell them that I’ll be there. You simply want to cover recent events with them as a group.”

John looked at his assembled friends, his quirky, evil grin in place. “I want all of you there, bright-eyed, bushy-tailed with an attitude from Hell on, and armed.” A glance around the room earned him nods. “I want no doubts remaining that we are serious after this is over. 

“You are Heart of Atlantis,” Radek intoned as he slid his glasses back up. “I guess now is time for all to listen to their heart.”

John started to object, but Teyla put her hand to his lips just as a breath of laughter caress his mind along with a whispered _*you are*._

A tiny thread of anger escaped. “My ex-wife and my father tried to clip my wings for years and I never let them. I will be damned if I let a bunch of scientists do it now.”

That last statement slapped Rodney. He now realized why Sheppard had been so mad. Clipping their wings was an awful thing to do to a bird although it was sometimes necessary in cases of severe injury. To do it in Sheppard’s case would have destroyed him as a person.

Shortly after that, the meeting broke up. Sam headed back to the Hammond, Lorne headed off to do rounds before bed. Radek left for his own quarters, leaving Rodney in the room with his team.

Seeing Rodney edgy and nervous, Teyla got up and walked over. The edgy scientist jumped and uttered an unmanly squeak.

“Rodney, is something the matter?”

Rodney looked at Teyla, wringing his hands before looking at John. “Um…uh…can I stay here with you?”

“He should.” Ronon’s soft comment floated in. “It’s probably not safe for him to be alone.”

John smirked at Rodney. “Yeah, don’t want to break in a new scientist. We just got you trained properly.”

The entire team broke out in laughter, even Torren joining in as John used Rodney’s favorite statement against him.

John glanced over at Ronon. “You stayin’ too, Chewie?”

Ronon nodded, dreadlocks waving. “Might as well.” He moved from the wall and grabbed McKay. “We need to go get some cots and blankets. Back soon.” With that the two walked out, Rodney protesting the abruptness. When they returned, Teyla had managed to clear enough space for the cots. After the cots were assembled, Rodney popped ‘Change of Plans’ in the DVD player in John’s quarters and they enjoyed movie night. By the time the movie ended, John and Torren were curled up asleep and the rest were not far behind after they cleaned up the popcorn and empty drink containers. 

As she crawled into bed, spooning along John’s back, Teyla was glad that John and Rodney had cleared the air between them because they were stronger as a family than they were separately.


	13. Chapter 13

Wednesday morning, John felt better than he had in days. He had spent Tuesday sleeping, eating, playing with Torren and going for walks in between plotting for Friday’s meetings with Woolsey, Lorne, Radek and Rodney. After breakfast and a shower, John got dressed in jeans, boots, a blue t-shirt and a black button-up with the sleeves rolled; his .45 in his thigh holster, his sunglasses and his leather jacket completed the outfit.

The party that left his quarters consisted of John himself, Teyla, Torren, Lorne, Rodney and Ronon. They had three possibilities on their list – two in the main tower, one in another tower nearby. The first was one floor up from John’s current quarters. The rooms were nice, but the view not so much. It was also on a busier corridor than John was comfortable with. Teyla was also not crazy about the traffic.

The second had a nice view, but the rooms were small and not as numerous as they wanted. Both John and Teyla knew they would need lots of space for team nights and other events.

Crossing one of the covered fly bridges, heading for the third, John was getting slightly frustrated. He did not want to resort to poking his head in every possibly suitable suite in every tower.

_*I think you will like this suite. It is my choice for you. It belonged to my previous Muse.*_

_*”Muse? Is that what I am to you, a Muse?”*_ John was surprised that Atlantis called him that.

 _*That is what the Alterans called a person with exceptional strength that could bond with one of the city AI’s. A Muse can control this entire city.*_ Atlantis sounded amused as she told him of his heritage. _*The Muses were also always very influential persons like you. They were the persons that everyone looked to for protection and leadership. The Muses were predominately military personnel as well.*_

As they reached the floor where the third suite was located, John started getting a good feeling about it. The view through the windows they passed was spectacular and there was no one else living on this floor so privacy was assured. When the door opened ahead of them, John knew they had found the right place. He could feel Teyla’s agreement through their bond and Torren’s crow of delight cinched the deal. He heard matching gasps of surprise from Lorne and even Ronon and Rodney were speechless.

John turned towards Rodney, who was hanging back near the door. “Thanks, McKay. You did good.”

Teyla spun around to face Rodney. “Yes, Rodney, you did very well. This is beautiful. Thank you.”

Lorne broke the silence as he tapped his COM. “Sam, go ahead with transport. Coordinates are third location. Tower C2, level 40, section M1, that’s right.” As Evan finished, there was a hum and shimmer and the contents of both of their quarters appeared in the living room and master bedroom.

“You’re welcome, Sheppard, Teyla.” Rodney was already moving around, poking his nose into everything. “It was my idea, uh, our idea,” Rodney hastily amended the statement at a glare from Lorne, “to get Sam to transport your stuff up here. Ronon wanted to have the Marines backpack it here.”

Ronon shrugged. “Good weight training for them.”

“I did have Corporals Brenner and Rodriguez go through and place transport tags on the large items and Sgt. Johnston helped them get everything gathered up. Sergeant Mehra did the same for Teyla’s.” Lorne grinned. “They were happy to help their CO and his fiancée.”

John smiled at the image of the two corporals and the huge sergeant moving through his quarters while Dusty Mehra did the same for Teyla’s. He glanced down at Teyla, seeing a mischievous look in her eyes that matched his own. “We’ll have to thank them later.” John then looked at his XO and the rest of his team. “Well, get busy and get this stuff organized.” At their shocked looks, John held out his left arm, which was in a sling as the shoulder was still healing, as well as the broken hand. “I’m not supposed to lift anything heavier than a pint of beer, doctor’s orders. And, since Teyla can’t do it all herself…”

Rodney groaned. “This is payback for the assistant stuff isn’t it? I knew you’d do something to get back at me.”

John grinned, mischief in his eyes. “Rodney, you have only just begun to pay for that. Be glad I don’t have you writing reports for me.”

“Well, you know that I have a bad back and I get splinters really easily and that I have allergies and…” Rodney was just getting into high gear when a familiar voice interrupted.

“Rodney, ya big baby, shut yer hole and get busy.” Carson walked over and stopped beside John. “Ya know th’ Colonel is not to be doin’ any heavy liftin’.” John could tell Carson was a bit irritated with Rodney as his brogue was rather thick. “John, how are ye feelin today?”

John glanced sideways at the Scottish doctor. “Better. Being in my quarters the last few days really helped. I’m still a bit light sensitive and certain noises bother me, but the migraine has finally throttled down to really bad headache. My shoulder’s sore, and my hand is bothering me, but everything else feels good.”

Carson looked around at the organized chaos going on in the suite. “As soon as the bedroom gets organized, I’d like to give you a check-up.”

Teyla, passing by, overheard the doctor’s comment. “I shall take care of that.”

“We’ll help.”

John turned and, there in the door, were Corporals Brenner and Rodriguez, Sergeant Mehra and Dr. Zelenka. Radek headed for the electronic equipment, towing a cart behind him with a larger TV for the family. Mehra and Rodriguez headed for the bedroom while Brenner headed to help Lorne and Ronon.

Spotting a long chaise lounge, Carson pushed it over under the window and patted the cushion. “Now, lad, ye get over here and out of the way. Ye still need to rest and heal.”

John smiled at the doctor’s pushiness. “Okay, Carson, you win.”

“You cheeky rascal.” Carson grinned at him. “If I’d known that this was what it took for ye to be cooperative, I’d a done it years ago.”

John returned the grin with his quirky smirk. “I’ve been trying to tell you that for years, but you always seem to think that I need to be in the infirmary.”

“Maybe it’s cause ye would be runnin’ the halls the minute my back is turned otherwise. Or that you wouldn’t be taking yer pain pills and would end up taking longer to heal, or…”

John held up his hand, patting the air between them. “Okay, Carson, like I said, you win…this time.”

“Speaking of yer pills, when did ye have them last?”

John looked at his watch, which was currently residing on his right wrist. “Five hours ago at breakfast.”

Carson sighed as he reached into his bag and pulled out a vial of pills. “I figured as much.” He shook two out and handed them to the pilot, along with a bottle of water. “Here, and no arguments.” Carson turned to Rodney. “Rodney, hand over a couple o’ those power bars in yer pocket.”

“But, these are the peanut butter and chocolate chip ones, and…”

Carson cut him off. “John needs to eat so his meds don’t make him sick. Unless you like cleaning up vomit?”

Rodney couldn’t get the bars out of his pocket fast enough. He walked over and even opened the first one for John as he handed two of his supply over.

John looked up at his friend. “Thanks, Rodney.”

Rodney ducked his head so his slight blush wouldn’t show. “Um…uh…you’re welcome, Sheppard.”

After devouring the bars and drinking most of the water, John stretched out on the lounge and watched the activity for a while. The weak sunlight coming through the window was enough to warm him up and he fell into a light doze.

As he slept, John talked with Atlantis. She told him of many of the abilities of the Muses and he asked her questions about them. 

_*“Atlantis, why does using these abilities leave me so drained?”*_

_*”It is because much of the power to accomplish these actions is coming from you. I assist you as I can, as that is one of the functions of the bracelet you wear, but for the moment, you are providing most of the power.”*_

_*“Would that change with a full complement of ZPM’s?”*_

_*“It would.”*_

Suddenly, a torrent of information and images flowed into his head and John let out a small cry. The flow cut off as quickly as it started. John felt someone shaking his good shoulder and he opened his eyes to see Carson’s blue ones looking at him.

“Are ye alright, lad? Ye cried out.”

John rubbed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose briefly. “Yeah. I was talking with Atlantis. She was telling me about her past Muses and their abilities and gave it to me a bit faster than I was ready for.” John peeked up at Carson. “When can I go offworld? I need to go retrieve something.” 

Carson frowned. He really didn’t want John going offworld until that hand was healed. “Where be ye headed?”

“A repository world, a very special one, to retrieve a treasure. It’s a barren rock of a planet and it can only be dialed from Atlantis or one of the other city gates.”

“Well, in that case, probably next week, but ye are to do no heavy lifting.”

John chuckled softly. “That’s what Marines are for. Depending on the location of the gate, I plan on taking three jumpers as well as four teams plus my own. I don’t expect hostiles, but I do expect to return with presents and will need hands to carry them.”

Carson stared at the grinning Colonel, the pieces falling into place. “’Lantis told ye where to find…”

John put his right index finger to his lips. “Shhh. Don’t say that out loud or we’ll never hear the end of it from Rodney.”

Understanding dawned as Carson nodded. When he saw Teyla motion that the bedroom was clear, Carson put his hand under John’s right elbow and levered the pilot up from the lounge then steered him into the bedroom for his checkup.

As Carson took care of his most frequent patient, the rest of the suite took shape. 

The mess hall staff delivered lunch and they had an impromptu house warming party. 

After lunch, they talked for a while before John fell asleep again. He woke for dinner and more conversation.

Teyla got up at one point and picked Torren up, carrying him to bed. The excitement of the day had worn him out and he had fallen asleep on John’s lap.

It was Carson and Lorne that caught the looks the couple were sharing and decided that they really wanted alone time but were being too polite to say so. 

Lorne stood and looked at the three Marines. Mehra, Rodriguez and Brenner had stayed after the moving, enjoying spending time with their CO and his team. “Alright, you three, time to go. Both of your teams have recertification’s tomorrow if I remember correctly.”

The three looked at each other and then at the XO before looking over at their CO. Seeing the way Teyla and the Colonel were snuggled on the couch gave them the hint. They stood and made their way over to John, thanking him and Teyla for allowing them to stay. The pair thanked them again for their assistance with the move and the trio headed out, Lorne following them after wishing his CO and Teyla goodnight. Tomorrow he would be overseeing the recertifications for the gate teams.

Carson and Radek left, Ronon dragging Rodney into one of the spare bedrooms where a couple of cots awaited them as they felt it best to keep Rodney close to avoid accidents. Just before the door closed, Carson stuck his head back in. “Have fun, you two.” Then he was gone, the door closing behind him. John locked it with a thought.

Alone at last, the pair looked at each other before heading to their bedroom. The months they had spent dating, sleeping apart in order to allow everyone time to adjust to the situation were now over. There would still be a formal ceremony, but that was months away.

As they undressed, John regretted the fact that his shoulder and hand was messed up. He had planned to have a night of wild sex with Teyla when they finally moved in together, but that would have to wait. Teyla carefully removed the special splint from his left hand before they hopped in the shower, washing each other’s backs and other places in between kisses. Clean and dry, they slipped into their nightclothes: faded t-shirt and sweats for John, a long-sleeved tee and knit capris for Teyla. As he slipped into bed, Teyla stepped into the bathroom and came back holding two pills and a glass of water which she handed to him. While Teyla replaced the splint, John took the pills without complaint as his head was throbbing a bit after the day’s excitement. Teyla crawled into bed as he set the glass on the table. They met in the middle and shared a deep kiss that could have led to more – the spirit was willing, but the flesh wasn’t. John laid on his right side, left hand on a pillow and his right under the pillow near the 9mil he put there earlier. Teyla pulled the covers up, making sure they were tucked around John before spooning to his broad back. Through their bond, she felt when he reached out and turned the lights down. Just before she drifted off, she heard three words that, a year ago, she had never thought to hear John Sheppard utter.

“I love you.”

* * *

Thursday was spent resting again and getting used to where everything was in the new suite. They made a few changes, but mostly everything was where it needed to be. Torren was delighted to have his own space and so were Teyla and John.

 Radek came by after breakfast, Ronon and Rodney having met him in the mess hall. John, Teyla and Torren had breakfast in their quarters courtesy of SSgt. Quindoza, the Marine in charge of the kitchen.  Teyla was out, teaching her bantos class and running a meditation session; Torren was with Aleeah at the child care facility. John had been too deeply asleep when the Gate teams left that morning, but they wanted to keep John company until the teams returned. While they waited, John gave them a rundown on the city systems, telling them what he could without exhausting himself.

“Amazing. This has saved much effort.” Radek pushed his glasses up as he looked at the pad in his hands. “You say Atlantis said all…Muses… could do this?”

John nodded carefully, a small smile crossing his face. “Yeah and more. Only, right now, the ‘more’ takes too much effort on my part.”

Rodney looked up from his own tablet. “What do we need to correct that? We can’t have you hiding in the dark all the time just so we can fix the systems.”

John gave Rodney a knowing little smirk. “We’re gonna take care of that soon.” At Rodney’s calculating look, the smirk deepened. “Don’t even try. I want you to be surprised.”

“Hah, as if! The only thing that would surprise me would be finding a stash of ZedPMs… and a stash of jumpers.”

_*”There are some of those in the depot as well, my son.”*_

Atlantis’ comment came just as John was taking a drink of water and he choked. Rodney reached over and whacked his team leader on the back a few times to help shake everything back where it needed to be. Once John caught his breath, Rodney glared at him.

“You okay now?”

John took a deep breath. “Yeah, thanks Rodney.” Taking another, John marshaled his thoughts. “On the hypothetical side, I would like to start searching for another planet. Sooner or later, we’re gonna find some ZPMs or figure out how to make our own so we’ll have the power we need for the Stardrive and the shields. I love winter, but this is a bit much. I would like to go to the beach without needing to use the gate.”

Radek looked at Rodney and John. “I have been working on that already and have several possibilities. I have been using the long range sensors, the database and information from our sensor nets.”

“Great! Ask Sam if she’ll take the Hammond and check them out while they’re here. I would prefer something farther in, good climate and possibly a few nearby systems with gates for emergencies.”

“Yes, yes, I will go through results and see what I have.”

_*”There is a list of suitable planets in the database. I shall send it to him.”*_

_*”Thanks, Lantis. After 10,000 years they will probably need to be re-surveyed.”*_

Radek checked his notes. “Can you tell us anything else about those rings Ferrin had?”

John nodded at the Czech. “The rings were made as a set. Once initialized, they could be worn by anyone. Depending on the strength of the gene, the wearer of the master ring could do a number of things from emotionally influencing the wearer of the slave ring to carrying on a conversation. Because he doesn’t have the gene, Ferrin could only influence what was already present.” John glanced over at Rodney before continuing. “He was able to do a Sauron on McKay because, in the back of his mind was just a bit of envy.

Rodney frowned. “Okay, so what you’re saying is that he treated me like Gollum and used the ring to control me?” He looked around. “This isn’t Middle-Earth, although I guess this could be mistaken for Gondor.”

John and Radek chuckled at this, and even Rodney had to join in the laughter.

“Um, Sheppard, I… have a question but you can choose not to answer it if you don’t want to. Uh, I don’t want you to feel pressured or… or anything like that, I just…”

“Rodney.” Radek pushed his glasses up. “You must ask question before Colonel can decide.”

Rodney looked startled. “Um, with this increase in your bond with the city, how is it? Is it a flood of information, or is it closer to being in a room full of people all talking at once, or…”

“McKay! Geez, you ask a question and then don’t give a guy time to answer.” John rubbed the back of his neck as he decided on his answer. “It’s like being in a room full of whisperers. Thanks to you I’ve gotten really good at tuning out annoying sounds.” John’s grin took some of the sting out.

“Hey! I…”

“Rodney, you resemble that remark.” Radek chuckled at the look on Rodney’s face.

“Seriously, though, I’ve spent so much time around so much Ancient tech that it usually doesn’t bother me. The sheer amount of it in and around the Infirmary did contribute to my migraine, though.” John glanced at the two scientists. The Canadian and Czech were literally on the edge of their seats, practically hanging on every word. John realized that this was the first time he had ever told them what interacting with Atlantis was like. “The main systems usually just give me a mental nod unless there’s a problem. Like I told you days ago, I can hear the individual pieces if they were made right. Some of the Ancients were very paranoid, so their devices don’t tell me anything unless I touch them or concentrate on them.”

John stared out the window, letting his thoughts swirl like the snow outside before they settled. “I’ve always been able to interact with the city systems, but I have more control now. For me, it’s like going from an F15 to an F302. The difference in capabilities is worlds apart.”

At that moment, the first of the gate teams started arriving. John stiffened as he felt the gate activate.

“Incoming gate from P45-762.” John murmured softly. “Saunders’ team; they have some artifacts with them.”

As John shook himself, he noticed three pair of eyes staring at him. Predictably, it was Rodney that found his voice first.

“How did you…? Do you have a spy cam in the Gateroom?”

John shook his head carefully. The exertion had made his head throb a bit. “No. I felt the gate activate and once the wormhole established I could see the team on the other side. I could also tell where they are and I could sense the artifacts they are bringing back.” Something pinged on his consciousness and John jumped up and headed out the door at a run before he realized that he had made the decision to move.

“Sheppard, what’s going on?” That from Ronon, who had been quiet until now.

“I don’t know, but I need to get to the Gateroom.”

John hit the transporter with Ronon, Radek and Rodney right behind him. As they exited the transporter near the Gateroom, John could feel a humming.

_*“Lantis?”*_

_*”It is not something that I can affect.”*_

Rodney had his tablet out as they ran. “Detecting an energy buildup. It’s not coming from one of Atlantis’ systems.”

As they barreled into the Control room, John took in the scene at a glance. Saunders and his team were staring at a device on the floor. The device, which was about the size of a gazing ball, was glowing and emitting the hum. Some of the staff had moved away, but one of the technicians had moved closer, trying to scan the device.

“Move! Clear the Gateroom!” 

Even as he shouted and the staff jumped to obey, John knew it wouldn’t be enough. He reached out to Atlantis and found the internal defense systems. They had never been used because they had never had the power to spare. With a thought, John activated the shield generators and sent shaped force fields to shove personnel in the area away even as he placed another around the device on the floor. 

Unfortunately, one of the emitters failed and the shield around the object was incomplete. The partial shield sent the energy of the blast straight towards John and his companions. John and Ronon saw the blast headed for them and pushed Radek and Rodney behind two of the columns. The wave front hit just as they dove for cover. John saw Ronon get tossed back down the corridor before the wave shoved him down the back stairs. He had just enough time to wrap his arms over his head before he bounced down the stairs. He landed on his left hip and felt a couple of ribs crack along with his left wrist as his body impacted one of the treads hard before tumbling down the flight. 

At the bottom, he stayed still and waited for the world to stop spinning as he took stock of his condition. His hip throbbed, the pain from his ribs and wrist causing sharp spikes in his head and he could feel something warm and wet trickling from his nose. As he tried to sit up, the muscles in his bask spasmed and he cried out before sinking back to the floor. His vision greyed for a moment then he felt a hand on his right shoulder. Managing to open his eyes, John looked up into Rodney’s.

“Just stay still, John. Carson and Jennifer are on their way.”

Just as he heard the clattering of the wheels from the gurneys, the pain from John’s injuries spiked again and sent him over the edge into the waiting darkness.

 


	14. Chapter 14

Teyla was in the middle of doing her cool down stretching routine after a morning spent teaching Bantos, when she felt a spike of worry from John. She had just put her sticks in her bag when she sensed John’s worry change to fear then shift again to pain on the heels of a strong vibration, most likely from an explosion. Reaching out for John, she was almost overwhelmed by the onslaught of pain emanating from him. Without thinking, she grabbed her gym bag and headed for the nearest transporter. She was halfway there when Rodney’s voice sounded through her com.

“Teyla, you need to come to the infirmary.”

Even through her com, Teyla could hear the worry in Rodney’s voice.

“Rodney, what has happened?”

“Lt. Saunders team brought back an artifact. One of those butter-fingered Neanderthals disguised as a Marine dropped it and when it hit the floor it started emitting a hum and lit up. We got there just before the thing exploded. Sheppard used force fields to shove everyone out of the way and to surround the device. One of the emitters malfunctioned and left an opening for the force to funnel through. He and Ronon shoved me and Radek out of the way. Ronon got thrown into a wall. Sheppard was thrown down the back stairs. I don’t know how badly they’re hurt yet.”

“I am on my way.”

Arriving at the infirmary, Teyla was amazed at the number of personnel waiting to be tended to. Many were cradling limbs or holding cold packs to their heads, necks or shoulders while waiting for one of the doctors. Spotting Rodney, Teyla hurried over.

Rodney saw the lithe Athosian threading her way through the crowd. As she reached his side, he held up a hand. “Before you ask, no, there’s no more news. Carson has him under the scanner right now. Jennifer’s taking care of Ronon.”

Teyla looked around the crowded infirmary. “You said John accessed shield emitters in the Gateroom. If he protected all of these people, why are so many injured?”

“He was a bit rough when he used the force fields to shove people out of the way.” Rodney rolled his eyes as he waved a hand at the crowd. “It’s mainly bruises and sprains, but Jennifer insisted everyone get checked out.”

Teyla nodded, seeing the wisdom of this. “It is wise, Rodney. A bruise can hide a more serious injury.”

Rodney sighed. “I know. I’m just glad our flyboy and Conan are not gonna have to wait to be seen.”

At that moment, Jennifer came around a curtain. Spotting the mobile half of Team Sheppard, she headed their way. “Rodney, Teyla. Ronon’s going to be fine. He’s got a mild concussion and a dislocated shoulder from hitting a wall at an odd angle. I’m going to keep him overnight for observation and he’ll need to wear a sling for a few days.”

Teyla was about to ask about John when the faint rattle of a gurney sounded from the direction of the scanner. The gurney soon came into view, John unconscious on it and being pushed by LJ, one of the Marine medics and accompanied by Carson and Marie. John was pale and lying three-quarters prone on his right side, propped up by pillows. He had not been changed into scrubs yet and his jeans were flecked with singe marks from the debris. His shirt was missing and Teyla saw the tape on his ribs and the vivid bruises on his back. There was an IV in his right arm and Teyla noticed that instead of the previous splint, John now had a black wrapped cast on his left arm. Carson spotted the trio and beckoned for them to fall in with him.

Once they caught up, Carson reached up and ran his hand through his hair. “Well, the lad dodged one bullet but bit another. He tucked his head in enough that he does na have another concussion. However, he does have a wee spot of bruising on his back and left hip along with three broken ribs and he broke his left wrist. Fortunately, the fall didna mess up the bones in his hand. He also had a nosebleed, but I’m not certain of the cause.”

The group reached the private rooms in the back and Carson turned to Teyla and Rodney as LJ pushed the gurney into the room. “I need the two o’ ye to stay out here for a few minutes while we get the lad settled then ye can come sit wi’ him.”

Teyla nodded her assent and she saw Rodney do the same from the corner of her eye.

It was more than just a few minutes before LJ left and Marie beckoned them in. Jennifer had placed Ronon in the same room so the team would be together. If she hadn’t, they all knew that Ronon would have moved himself. 

John had been changed into scrubs and covered with blankets. He was lying on his right side, propped in place with foam wedges and pillows. His left arm was propped up in order to prevent blood clots from forming around the break. Carson was checking John’s vitals when the team entered. 

Ronon glanced up when the other half of the team entered. “Hey.” He turned his gaze to Carson. “When can I leave?”

Teyla stepped to Ronon’s side and touched her forehead to his. “Jennifer says you have a concussion as well as having had a dislocated shoulder.” She saw his gaze shift to John. “John broke his wrist and some ribs. Carson and Jennifer wish for both of you to stay overnight.”

Carson finished and settled in, grabbing a chair beside Rodney to wait as he wanted to observe how much discomfort John was in before he decided to keep him overnight. If his discomfort was tolerable then Carson wanted him in the infirmary, otherwise he would transfer John to his quarters to rest and send Ronon with him since he knew Teyla could keep both in line.

Teyla stood by John’s head, running her hand through his hair, using the contact to provide a soothing presence. Carson realized that this habit of hers had made John an easier patient. Just as he started to comment on it, they heard a soft moan.

Carson lightly tapped John’s cheek. “C’mon lad, I need for ye to open yer eyes for me.”

John’s eyelids fluttered then opened a mere slit. He uttered a sharp cry of pain and raised his arm, trying to cover his eyes and block the light.

Carson uttered a soft curse. “Is it the migraine again?” He asked softly.

His answer was another pain filled moan as John tried to curl away from the light and sounds surrounding him.

Carson dipped a hand into his pocket, pulling out a vial and syringe. He quickly filled it and injected the contents into the Colonel’s IV. After just a few heartbeats, the medication took effect and John went limp, his breathing slowing as he slipped into a deep sleep.

Teyla had watched this with growing concern. “Carson? What has caused this? You stated that he does not have a concussion.”

Just as Carson started to reply, another voice interjected. “I think I can answer that.”

Teyla and Carson turned to look at Rodney.

Uncomfortable with the scrutiny, Rodney looked at the floor. “This morning, he was only able to give us a certain amount of information about the city systems because it was too taxing right now to go deeper. I think it has to do with where the energy for his Ancient-powered magic tricks is coming from.”

Carson frowned. “If the Colonel is supplying most of the energy then that would explain the nosebleed and the low vitals.” He glanced over at Teyla. “Teyla, lass, I hope ye don’t mind an extra guest. Let me get a few things and we’ll head out.”

Something tickled her mind about that. Realizing what it was, Teyla caught the doctor before he left the room. “Should we not wait until later? Is not the brightness and number of persons in the corridors why Sam teleported John the last time?”

Carson rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Aye lass, it is. In that case, I can take my time and make sure I have what I’ll need to care for the Colonel.”

“Why not just have Sam transport him again?” Ronon’s rumble was puzzled.

“Because, Conan, the Hammond’s transporter is undergoing maintenance. No doubt Sam would have rearranged the schedule if she had known there would be a need for it, like say, a certain accident prone, messy haired colonel getting hurt again.” Rodney’s snark came through clearly, even at a soft volume.

Carson headed off to get his supplies together and to talk to Jennifer. Teyla stayed with John and Ronon while Rodney contacted those persons that needed to know about the incident. He rescheduled the meetings for the following Friday on the assumption that Sheppard would be well enough to handle the crowds.

They moved John and Ronon late in the evening after the city lights dimmed and there were very few people about.

It took two days for John’s vitals to recover sufficiently for Carson to bring him out of the drug induced oblivion that he had put the injured pilot into, and another two for the migraine to degrade to just bad headache status. At that time, Carson felt that John was sufficiently recovered that he no longer needed to stay with the couple, and went back to the infirmary and his own quarters. Torren had been worried, but with a child’s faith, knew that his Da would be okay.

* * *

After sleeping most of Tuesday, John felt much better Wednesday morning. The headache was still there, but manageable and his energy was coming back. As he took stock of his condition, John realized that there was a warm shape curled against his side. Shifting his head just enough to see, he was rewarded by the sight of a head of curly hair: Torren. The toddler was glued to John’s side and looked like it would take a crowbar to remove him. Hearing a slight noise, John looked towards the door and spotted Ronon.

“He kept fussing that he had to see you so Teyla put him in here.” Ronon looked amused. “Figured you wouldn’t mind.”

John shifted his hand just enough to stroke the boy’s hair. “Nah, I don’t mind. I love the kid like he’s my own.”

“He loves you too.” Ronon’s smile turned thoughtful. “Did you ever notice that when you and Kanaan were both in the same room that Teyla always kept Torren distracted?”

“Yeah, but I never thought about it.”

“She did that because she didn’t want to hurt Kanaan by Torren calling you daddy. Now that you’re openly together, she no longer feels the need.”

John got a bit defensive. “Hey, he coulda gotten the daddy title if he’d ever been around or shown interest. He didn’t though, so he can’t complain if Torren picked me instead.”

Ronon stuck a couple of pillows behind his back as John, being careful with his healing ribs, shifted slightly, sitting up to see the big Satedan properly. “So what’s the plan?”

John grinned. It was the evil little smile he used when someone was about to get a nasty surprise. “Well, I thought I’d terrorize my troops Friday morning, Rodney’s scientists that afternoon then take the rest of the weekend off and Monday we’ll go visit the repository world, grab some ZPMs and a few Jumpers and be home for dinner.”

Ronon’s grin matched John’s. “Sounds good.”

Easing out of bed, John swayed for a minute before his balance stabilized. “This afternoon, I thought I’d go pay Dr. Ferrin a visit.” One of his trademark quirky grins crossed his face. “Since we don’t have any Wraith in confinement right now he must be getting lonely.”

Ronon, sitting on the end of the bed near Torren, looked at John as he crossed the room to get his clothes. “We could always put Kavanagh in the next cell.”

John shook his head. “Much as I’d like to, we can’t. It would be considered cruel and unusual punishment.”

Ronon’s laugh filled the room as John reached his closet. Once there, he started to pull out his BDUs then changed his mind, because, even though he wasn’t cleared for active duty, he planned on wearing his customary black in order to emphasize their positions.  John grabbed a pair of black jeans, his boots, the thigh length leather coat Teyla had given him last Christmas and a black turtleneck. He hoped that Jennifer or Carson would clear him soon. Ronon helped him dress and, Torren in tow, they headed for the mess hall to wait while John put in an appearance at the brig.

* * *

Dr. Marcus Ferrin was not having a good week. His plan to drive a wedge between the super freak Sheppard and that damnable McKay had only started to work when the incident with that flechette occurred. Even then the plan could have worked except that the Scottish freak intervened, along with the rest of Sheppard’s team.

Now, not only had he been discovered, but McKay and Sheppard were closer than ever. The entire team had closed ranks once McKay had been accepted back into the fold. Ferrin had hoped that one of the devices would injure or maim Sheppard, but that damned messy haired freak had gotten lucky.

To top his week off, Sheppard’s pet Satedan had come by a few times. At first all he had done was glare through the bars. Then he had moved up to sharpening his knives while he exchanged tales of gruesome deaths with the Marines on duty. The stories were so vivid that he was now having nightmares. Since then he only slept about three hours a night. He was shaking so bad that he needed to use both hands just to hold a glass of water. At this point, he didn’t mind being in a cell because it meant that the Satedan couldn’t physically reach him … unless one of Sheppard’s muscle-bound pets let him in.

The best he could hope for would be life confinement at one of the SGC’s facilities. If he was really lucky, they would let him continue some of his research. They could decide to let him rot, but he didn’t think that was likely, especially if one of his hypotheses turned out to be correct. From the rumors he’d heard recently, the little subroutine he had uploaded to the city’s mainframe might bear fruit very soon.

As Ferrin contemplated his future, the outer doors opened. He looked up expecting to see one of Sheppard’s pets but was rewarded with the figure of Sheppard himself.

* * *

Entering the cell block, John took his time strolling around the perimeter of the cell just as he had done when they had Wraith in captivity, the slight swish of the leather brushing his jeans the only sound.  He noticed the twitches in Ferrin’s limbs and the dark circles under his eyes.

“Well, seems like you’re enjoying your time in Club Med.”

Ferrin grimaced. “This won’t last. The SGC will release me and allow me to continue my work. Even if they keep me confined, I still will be able to work on my research.”

John shook his head, the arrogant grin on his face that he knew infuriated people like Ferrin. “I don’t think so. Y’ see, we found your files on the ‘research’ that you were using me and Rodney for. Even under the worst of circumstances, the SGC and the IOA frown on that. I can guarantee that you will never again work on anything harder than the New York Times crossword puzzles.” 

John circled some more as Ferrin blustered inside the cell. “General O’Neill has especially expressed his displeasure at your actions. The SGC also did some checking on you. Imagine their surprise when they unearthed claims from some of your former research assistants and colleagues that you stole their research.” John shook his head, tsking a bit as he did. “The IOA was also deeply saddened to discover that your credentials did not stand up to deeper scrutiny.”

Ferrin drew himself upright. “Those are all unsubstantiated rumors. There have been several of my colleagues that were jealous of my intelligence and prowess with Ancient technology.”

John cocked his head and stared at Ferrin. “Oh, so the fact that the SGC’s computer experts found evidence that your credentials had been faked is all the fault of your colleagues as well, eh?”

Ferrin crossed his arms. “I have no response to that.”

John gave Ferrin his best cocky grin. “That’s okay. I’m sure the SGC and IOA will have plenty to say. Enjoy your stay here at Club Med. I have a feeling this is the last time you’ll get to enjoy sunlight for a long time.” John made sure his drawl was as irritating as he could make it. He watched Ferrin for a few moments before sauntering from the room, turning to wave at Ferrin as he stepped through the door.

* * *

Thursday, all of the department heads gathered in John and Teyla’s quarters. After Ferrin’s intrusion, system security had been upgraded, so they did not have to worry about spies. In addition, John had keyed the transporter to only allow authorized persons onto their floor. 

Woolsey was the last to arrive for the conference. As he took a seat, John started the meeting.

“Alright everyone, we all know why we’re here, correct?” Receiving nods all around, John continued. “This problem cannot continue. We all have to trust each other. What McKay did was bad enough, but what Ferrin did was worse and only exacerbated the situation. Now the Marines are mad at the scientists in general and McKay specifically. The scientists are not helping matters either by goading the Marines. If this continues, this whole city will become a powder keg.”

Jennifer frowned. “Surely the situation is not that bad?”

Radek shook his head, his glasses sliding to the end of his nose. “No, Colonel is correct. I have overheard scientists using terms to refer to Colonel that are made to rile Marines.”

Ronon’s eyes narrowed. “Such as?”

Radek stared into the distance for a moment. “McKay’s pet, gene freak, Mr. Hanky, others.”

The Earth-born members narrowed their eyes at the ‘Mr. Hanky’ reference.

Teyla and Ronon caught this, but were confused. It was Teyla that voiced their confusion. “Is not a ‘hanky’ a handkerchief?”

“Aye, lass, it is.” Carson decided to attempt the explanation. “But ‘Mr. Hanky’ is a character on a show called ‘South Park’. The character is a talking piece of shite.”

Teyla and Ronon had both been around long enough to pick that Scottish slang term up. Ronon’s hand moved towards his blaster.

John spotted the movement. “Ease up, Chewie. There’ll be time for that later.” An evil thought occurred to John. “Tell ya what, any of the troops cross the line and you get to assign punishment. That’ll be better than sending them back to Earth, plus it will be a visible reminder to the rest of ‘em.”

Ronon’s grin was feral and promised pain to any one foolish enough to cross Sheppard’s line.

“Colonel, I have a suggestion,” said Woolsey, who had been silent until now. “Why not delay the meeting with the scientists for a few days until after your trip to the repository world? The soldiers will respond well to you and will most likely only need a reminder of their duty and to know how far they can go, but scientists respond better to concrete evidence.”

John rolled this over in his brain. “So you think they need a physical demonstration of why they should toe the line?”

Woolsey nodded. “I do. These are scientists that are trained in the hard sciences and they are only going to believe the evidence in front of their eyes.”

John looked at the other scientists present – Rodney and Radek. “McKay, Dr. Z, do you agree?”

Radek and Rodney looked at each other before turning to their friend. “We do.” Radek answered for the pair. “Seeing consequences of actions will have greater impact.”

Rodney injected the next comment. “Plus, instead of calling a special meeting, if you do this during the weekly staff meeting then there can be no excuses for nonattendance. Next week’s meeting is the once a month mandatory for the entire science contingent and its being held in the assembly hall.”

Woolsey glanced over at the two geeks before turning to his military commander. “They are correct and I agree with Dr. McKay’s assessment and reasons for the timing.”

John looked over at Rodney, who was sitting on the edge of his chair like a kid waiting for lunchtime. “McKay, would you take care of that?”

Rodney glanced down at his laptop for a moment and hit a few keys. “Done.” At John’s look of surprise, he clarified. “I know you well enough to know how your brain works. If Woolsey hadn’t brought it up, Radek or I would have, so I was prepared because I know you military types love to show off, you especially.”

John colored slightly. “I actually don’t like being in the spotlight, but I do love making a point and doing it with style.” His gaze turned hard. “They need to be reminded that when you play with fire, sometimes you get burned.”


	15. Chapter 15

The Marines and Airmen milled around in the big assembly hall. No one could figure out why they were here. The weekly briefing had been held by Major Lorne three days ago, and there were no missions or imminent enemy attacks in the works.

Once the entire contingent arrived, several of the SO’s from the Hammond took up positions around the room just as the house lights dimmed. There were many worried glances being shot their way. Finally, Gunny Dillon stepped to the front of the still lit stage to get the show rolling.

“Ah-ten-shun!” The Gunny had the best parade ground voice in Atlantis and everyone in the room snapped to attention upon hearing it.

At the back of the room, one of the sets of double doors opened and the overhead lights came on along the aisle. The assembled soldiers craned their heads to see what was going on.

First through the doors were Major Lorne and Director Woolsey. A cloud of whispers followed the progress of the pair through the crowd to the stage. Next came Carson, Jennifer and Radek. The trio of doctors took up positions behind Lorne and Woolsey. The presence of the assorted group had rumors flying through the room. It was unheard of for the head of the expedition, the head of Engineering and the two Chief Medical Officers to attend a military briefing. 

After the doctors reached the stage, Gunny Dillon gave a hand signal and the assembled troops relaxed into parade rest just before the lights dimmed again. No one moved and not a word was spoken by those on the stage. Wisps of green and blue lights appeared on the walls like ghosts. After about ten minutes, rows of cool blue lights glowed to life along the aisle from the main doors, sparking an increase in the whispers.

Just as the whispers peaked, there was motion at the doors and a wave of silence spread through the room as Colonel Sheppard entered the room flanked by his entire team. Their Colonel was still a bit pale, but the determined look on his face put the lie to his appearance. He had dressed with care that morning. His boots were polished and properly laced. His uniform shirt was brand new as were the BDU’s. Even his leather jacket gleamed softly of fresh oil, the Atlantis shoulder patch standing out in stark relief, the straight sleeves hiding the black wrapped cast on his left wrist. His long strides carried him towards the stage, the lights dimming behind him like a trailing cloak of darkness, silence spreading through the room as his troops paid him the respect he had earned and deserved.

Upon reaching the stage, John took up position dead center and waited while everyone else spread to either side, flanking him in a show of solidarity.  Cool blue spot lights came up and focused on John, allowing the gathered troops to get a clear view of their CO. His dark gaze roamed the hall, catching the eyes of each service member present.

“Airmen, Marines, at ease.” The entire contingent stiffened at the ring of command in John’s voice, even the doctors found themselves standing straighter. At center stage, John did not have to yell in order to be heard. The hall was acoustically tuned to project even the slightest whisper. “As you all know, I have very little use for protocol. I find that, in most cases, it is a waste of time. However, one thing that I do stand firm on is discipline. Without discipline, we are nothing but a group of thugs. I have no use for thugs or bullies and behavior that can be attributed to either of these groups will not be tolerated.”

John paused to let his words sink in. Taking a deep breath, he placed his hands on his hips as he continued. “It has come to my attention that, during the recent incident between me and my teammate, Dr. McKay, that many of you were unhappy with the situation.”

John dropped his hands and paced forward to the edge of the stage as he spoke. “I also understand that threats were made against Dr. McKay and other members of our science community by unknown members of this contingent. That will not be tolerated. Every member of this expedition is important.” John’s voice rang from the rafters, the acoustics of the hall adding counter-harmonies to it that sent shivers up many spines. “You are highly-trained service men and women, the finest that your services and countries have to offer. You are not schoolyard bullies and I will not tolerate any of you acting as such.”

Eyes flashing with a fierce chill, John drew himself up to his full six foot height, right hand resting on the butt of his .45. “Dr. McKay is a valuable member of my team and of this community. He is also my friend.” John’s voice changed, growing slightly colder with the steel of command still firmly in place. “If any of you have a problem with my friend, I suggest you take it up with me, personally.” John paused to let his statement sink in, noticing many guilty looks throughout the crowd. 

“I have forgiven him for his part in an incident that was not his fault and I expect you to do the same. If you cannot, I expect you to at least treat him with the respect his position deserves. The true perpetrator has been caught and shall be punished.  Any future incidents, accidental or not, will not be tolerated.”

John scanned the assembled service members again, making sure to catch the eyes of each man and woman present, his dark green eyes holding a challenge that had many dropping their heads in shame. 

Gesturing towards Woolsey at his side and behind him at the gathered department heads, John continued. “We, the leaders of Atlantis, stand here before you in agreement. As of right now, the slate has been wiped clean. This is a zero tolerance policy. Violators will be summarily dealt with. This is your one and only warning. When you have eagles on your shoulders or the title of Director then you can write policy. Until then, discipline is to be left to those of us that get paid the big bucks. Do you understand me?”

A resounding “Sir, yes, Sir!” rang throughout the hall.

John nodded as he scanned the crowd, eyes flashing with a chill fire. “Good. We will not have this discussion again.”

With that, John turned on his heel and marched off the stage, his team, the doctors and Woolsey following in his wake. Major Lorne stayed behind to dismiss the troops.

* * *

Colonel Samantha Carter knew she was a curious person. Standing outside the assembly room, she watched lightning strike the ice floes while she waited on John to arrive. Having been privy to the planning discussions, she did not want to miss this little assembly. During her time as head of Atlantis, she had watched John command in some hairy situations, but she had rarely gotten the opportunity to see him deal with his troops in a serious non-combat situation.

 With the lights dim, she slipped into the assembly hall behind Ronon and took up a post in the shadows near the door. From there she could see the whole show. As John made his way to the stage, Sam looked around and noticed the luminous effects on the walls and the way that the other lights in the room adjusted to put John in the best light possible. She also noticed the looks that John and his team were gathering. They had each dressed to impress. John was neat as a pin for the first time since she had met him over two years ago. Ronon and Teyla had each put on their best and were well armed, Teyla going so far as to have two sets of bantos rods on her. Rodney had dressed to show his place in the city – he was wearing his grey jacket with the blue stripes that proclaimed him a scientist, but instead of the matching trousers he was wearing black BDU and combat boots and had his 9mil strapped to his leg. The pistol alone served as a reminder that Rodney was the only scientist that had permission to be armed at all times.

Once John started speaking, she felt the reverberations in his words as they reflected from the walls. His use of command voice coupled with the finely tuned acoustics of the hall made his words shiver through the air. When his voice sharpened, she saw several Marines flinch as if they felt the dagger of his words at their necks.

Sam watched Woolsey step forward to stand at his Military Commander’s side. He had been silent throughout the proceeding. He knew this was a military matter, and she knew that he had originally wished to be excluded, but John had argued that showing a united front was the best way to handle this. So here he was, standing just slightly behind the man that had done so much for this city and asked so little in return, providing his support in a situation that could have turned extremely ugly for all. Outside of a crisis, this was one of the few times she was aware of where he had been able to observe John as he worked with his men. Sam noticed the look on Woolsey’s face as he gazed at the crowd and realized the deep respect and admiration that his troops had for the lanky Colonel. John would not have to order them to follow discipline; he would simply need to remind them that the chain of command was there for a reason.

 Sam didn’t know where John had learned to work a crowd like that, or if it was a natural talent, but she knew that every soldier in that room would have knelt and offered their backs for him to walk upon if he had asked it. This man was why Atlantis was such a hotly contested duty station at the SGC. The locale didn’t hurt, but John was why everyone wanted to come here.

Realizing that the meeting was over, Sam watched as John left, Lorne stepping to the spot he had recently occupied. Scanning the gathered troops, she felt that the Colonel’s speech had sunk in. It helped that every soldier in the city would do anything for John. From the stage, Lorne’s voice broke into her contemplations. “Alright, boys and girls, you heard the Colonel. If you have any concerns, bring them to me, one of the other majors or to the Colonel himself. Dismissed!”


	16. Chapter 16

After the assembly, the command staff headed for the mess hall. John was still catching up on his calorie intake from the previous week, plus he was hungry because he hadn’t eaten much that morning due to nerves. As he ate, he watched the interactions between the Marines and the scientists. To their credit, his troops were ignoring the remarks and snide comments coming from some of the scientists. John also noticed that there was only a small contingent of scientists that seemed to be causing the problems. Eyes narrowed, he recognized many of them as the scientists that had benefitted from his sojourn as Rodney’s assistant.

Glancing at his seat mates, John saw the same realizations on many of their faces as well. Good, this will make things easier. Filing the faces away, he finished his meal.  

Needing to work off some tension, Ronon went for a light run after lunch. Feeling that he was safe from retaliation, Rodney headed for his lab, Radek at his side, to get some work done for the first time in weeks. John and Teyla headed for their quarters. Having decided to walk instead of using the transporters, the pair enjoyed the quiet time. After reaching their suite, they snuggled on the couch facing the balcony and watched the snow falling outside. When she felt John start to nod off, Teyla coaxed him into taking a nap. Once he sprawled out on the bed, he was asleep in moments. 

With John asleep, Teyla straightened up the suite, picked up their dirty clothes and headed to the laundry room. After dropping off their laundry, Teyla picked Torren up from the child care center and headed back to the suite. Once there, Teyla helped Torren pick his toys up. To teach him responsibility, she and John were adamant about not doing everything for him. Torren then went in his room and played for a time before settling in for a nap. Knowing that neither John nor Torren would wake anytime soon, Teyla settled down with a good book. She barely had time to finish a page when her com went off. It was Woolsey, needing information on an off-world situation. Teyla put her book aside, wrote John a quick note and headed to the Gateroom. She knew she did not need to go, but she felt better knowing that she was close by and could therefore respond quicker.

* * *

A strange sound woke Torren from his nap. The toddler, being naturally curious, went to see who or what was making that noise. He followed it to his parent’s bedroom. His Ma wasn’t around, but Da was on the bed. The noises were coming from him. Da was lying on his side, twitching and making the type of noises that he made when he had a bad dream. The last time Da made those sounds, he’d seen Ma stroke Da’s hair while telling him it was just a dream. She had stayed with him until he went to sleep again. 

Since Ma wasn’t around, Torren figured that he would have to take care of his Da. It was a bit of a challenge because their bed was taller, but Torren managed to climb up. Once he got there, he crawled over to get above his Da’s head, then started running his stubby toddler hand through his Da’s messy hair like he had seen Ma do. After a few moments, the bad noises and jerky movements stopped and Torren saw his Da’s eyes open just a bit. He leaned over and planted a light kiss on his Da’s cheek.

“Go back to sleep, Da. I watch over you dis time.”

The boy received no answer, but his Da’s eyes slid closed, his breathing deepened and his body relaxed.

Torren heard the door to the family’s suite open, but stayed where he was because he was watching over his Daddy. Seeing his Ma step through the door, Torren placed a hand on his Da’s shoulder. “Da had a bad dream so I watch over Da like he does me.”

Torren stayed by John as Teyla walked over and carefully sat on the bed. “That was a very good thing to do, Torren.” He watched as she reached over and threaded her fingers through John’s hair. “Your Da will be very proud of you.”

The toddler beamed as he crawled into his Ma’s lap for a hug. Ma was here and she said he did good and Da was here and he was okay too, so all was right in his world.


	17. Chapter 17

A week later, John asked Woolsey, Lorne, Radek, Carson and Sam to meet him and his team in the hologram room. Jennifer had cleared John for light duty earlier that morning on the condition that one of them accompanied the mission to the repository. Carson volunteered because of his familiarity with the effects some of the Ancient devices could have. Sam had returned the previous evening after surveying some of the possible relocation planets. The SGC had given her permission to stay until after Atlantis reached its new home. The _Daedalus_ was en-route, due to arrive on site the following week and would tail the city as it made its way to its new home. Once Atlantis was airborne, Sam planned to land the _Hammond_ on the East Pier and physically accompany the city. This way there would not be a repeat of the previous times the city had moved and they had not been able to make contact.

They didn’t use the hologram room much as only John, Lorne and Carson could effectively make it work, and only John could use it with ease. Most of the time, the information they needed was not available in any form except text and that could be accessed with a lower expenditure of power through the terminals. They also didn’t use it for mission planning because most of the data was unreliable after 10,000 years. This time though, the repository was documented both in text and by video, so using the room was worth it.

Once everyone gathered, John lowered the lights and accessed the database. The first image up was of a nondescript solar system made of seven planets. The hologram zoomed in on the fourth planet, a craggy wasteland. 

“That’s where we’re going? Why did the Ancients build a repository on a chunk of rock like that?” Rodney looked at the readings for the planet. “There’s only minimal atmosphere, no plant life except for lichens and only minimal open water.”

John smirked at Rodney. “McKay, relax. That’s not gonna be a problem.”

Sam looked at John. “It’s inside the planet?”

John nodded. “It is. Think about it -- if the Wraith found a Gate sitting on the surface of a rock like this, they’d have to check it out.”

Sam picked up the thought. “But by placing it inside the planet, it keeps intruders away and provides a strong measure of security.”

John waved a hand towards Sam, acknowledging her points. “It is also only accessible by a Muse. That bolt of lightning did us a favor by boosting my ATA gene.”

Woolsey cleared his throat nervously. “Are you certain that this is a good idea, Colonel? I read SG-1’s mission reports and the repositories were nothing to be trifled with.”

John sighed and gestured to the display. As it changed, he answered Woolsey. “This is not the same kind of repository. The other type is what Lantis calls a _‘repositae librum’_ or repository of knowledge. This one’s a _‘repositae mechanae’_ or repository of machines.” 

All eyes were drawn to the display as an image of the interior came up. The video started in the repository’s Gateroom before heading through a large doorway easily big enough to allow a Jumper through. The next room contained bins of spare parts for the jumpers and John could hear Radek muttering to himself in Czech. A glance showed that the scientist was mentally cataloguing every part he could see and already comparing them to what they needed.

“Relax, Radek. There should be a catalog of all the available parts. You can download it when we get there. You can then make a list and I’ll take you and a team back to get what you need.” 

_*”That is unnecessary, my son. The repository is also an automated repair station. Any Gateship that requires maintenance can be taken there.”*_

John relayed that and he thought Radek’s eyes were going to pop out.

“That is good as some need overhaul.” Radek pushed his glasses up his nose. “We still need parts for minor repairs though.”

Beyond the jumpers was a room housing a collection of robots.

“Oh, great!” Rodney scoffed at the picture. “Now we get Star Wars rejects too! Where are the Jawas? These multi-armed hulks look like their handiwork!”

John shook his head. “According to Lantis, these are multi-purpose construction bots. They can be used to repair the city, especially the previously flooded sections.”

Radek’s eyes grew huge. “How many do we need?”

_*”You will need six of them – one for each section of the city.”*_

John turned to the scientist. “Lantis says you’ll need six – one for each pier.” Knowing what was next, John looked over at Ronon. “Hey, Chewie, you may wanna stand behind McKay in case he fai…passes out.”

Just as Rodney opened his mouth to comment, the camera moved into the next room and everyone except John gasped. John had to muffle a laugh at the dumbfounded look on everyone else’s faces. Along one wall was an entire rack of ZPM, all glowing with the brilliant orange of full charge.

* * *

They spent the rest of the day choosing who would go on the mission. The mission was scheduled to leave in two days. In addition to bringing back several ZPMs, they were also going to switch out some of the Jumpers and bring back others to replenish their fleet.

Once the basic details were hammered out, Teyla convinced John to leave the personnel selections to Lorne and Radek. Ronon headed to the gym to spar and Rodney headed for his lab, both trying to give John and Teyla some time together. John and Teyla grabbed lunch for three, picked up Torren from Aleeah and headed to their quarters.

Torren ate his lunch then trundled off to play with his toys. John and Teyla ate their lunch staring out at the snow. The new suite had a great view of the city, and it was mesmerizing to watch the towers through the swirling snow, lit by the occasional bolt of lightning. They were quiet for a while, enjoying the time spent together, until Teyla started rubbing John’s neck and shoulders. Every time she pressed a certain spot on his neck it set something else to throbbing.

Rolling his head slightly, John growled at Teyla. “Are you trying to start something?”

Teyla merely gave him a smile and an arched eyebrow as answer before rising from the couch and slinking into the bedroom. As she disappeared through the doorway, John glanced into Torren’s room to see that the toddler was sacked out on the floor, curled up in a blanket with his stuffed giraffe. He needed no further invitation to follow Teyla.

Teyla met him inside their bedroom and started undressing him even as he was locking the door behind him. His jacket hit the floor first, quickly followed by his shirts. As his mouth sought hers, he could feel Teyla’s hands undoing his belt. John toed his boots off just before Teyla pushed him over to the bed and onto it. She tugged his BDU off, leaving him only in his boxers. John closed his eyes as a moan of anticipation escaped his parted lips. He could feel Teyla crawl up his body and his cock got hard just thinking about her having her way with him. 

Teyla felt John get hard as she crawled up his long, lean body. Lowering her head to his nipples, she smiled a wicked little smile as she felt shudders of desire course through him as she licked and nibbled. Trailing kisses down his chest she felt him throb in anticipation, her womanly center answering with a pulse of its own. Teyla rubbed her groin along his to let him feel how hot she was. She removed her bra, rubbing her chest against John’s, letting his chest hair tease her nipples while easing her panties off. Teyla rubbed her bared crotch on John’s before she stripped him of his boxers. Free of its cotton prison, his cock sprang up, angled perfectly for her to engulf.

When she slid down on him, John let out a moan of pleasure. Even after giving birth, Teyla was still very tight and she had to work to engulf him. He was panting as her body finally met his. Teyla stopped for a moment, letting his breathing settle before she slowly rose back up before sliding back down just as slowly.

Teyla enjoyed it when John reached up to tease and pinch her nipples. She let him play for a few minutes before she reached up and moved his hand back onto the bed. She felt him stiffen in anticipation as she started playing with her own breasts, rolling the nipples between her fingers and firmly squeezing her golden globes while rocking on his shaft. When she heard John’s breathing change and felt the first tremors of his orgasm start, Teyla moved her hands to his hips and rode him harder and faster; the sound of flesh meeting flesh blended with their panting breaths. Her cry of release joined his moans of pleasure as he brought her to multiple orgasms. After a particularly strong one, his cry of ecstasy joined hers, his release providing her with even more pleasure. Finally sated, Teyla collapsed onto John’s chest. 

As Teyla lay across his chest, their heartbeats slowing, John thought that it was good that the walls in the city were nice and thick. He reached up and stroked her hair. He was a little sore down below, but it was good and easily managed. John was of the opinion that the sex wasn’t good if you didn’t end up at least a bit sore. She lifted her head from his chest and the pair kissed before rising and moving to the bathroom. Teyla slipped one of the special bags over John’s cast so they could shower. Clean and dressed, Teyla and John walked into their living room to find Torren and Rodney watching a movie, or rather, Torren was watching and Rodney furiously typing on one laptop with another open at his elbow.

Rodney looked up as the pair entered. “’bout time you two joined us. You know I don’t get along with kids, Sheppard. And don’t you ever do reports? It looks like you had about six months’ worth waiting on you.”

“Hello to you too, Rodney.” John smirked at the scientist. “I do write reports, but only when I have time or Woolsey makes me. There are certain reports that I have to do regularly, but there are others that I’m not so quick to do.” He held his left hand up. “Besides, being winged does hamper my typing plus the brightness from the screen aggravates my migraines.” John looked at the two laptops and realized why his friend was commenting on his reports. “Why do you have my laptop and how did you get into my reports?”

Rodney answered without looking up. “I got your laptop from your desk in the other room. As to accessing your reports, I hacked Lorne’s password. I didn’t feel like trying to figure out what juvenile piece of trivia would be serving as your password.”

John glared at Rodney. “My password is not juvenile, it’s…” John saw Rodney’s eyes light up and changed his mind. “I’m not going to tell you.”

“Ah hah! That means it’s trivial!”

John shook his head. “Nope, just means that I’m not going to let you trick me into giving it to you.”

“Rodney, you know that Torren adores you, so why do you deny that you like him?” Teyla interjected as she sat down beside her son.

“It’s the principle of the whole thing. I’ve just never gotten along with kids. They’re messy and noisy and always getting into stuff. Besides, kids always go for our spiky-haired fearless leader. I guess it’s because he’s still a kid inside.” Rodney commented back.

“Hey!” John protested. “I resemble that remark!”

Rodney pointed at John. “See, I rest my case. I’ve never really had a use for kids because I don’t know how to talk to them and they’re always touching things they shouldn’t and…”

Teyla smiled. “But Torren does not do those things, and he adores you.”

John smiled, a mirthful glint in his eyes. “Face it, ‘Uncle Rodney’, Torren’s got your number and you like it.”

Rodney let out a sigh.

John and Teyla both caught it. Sharing a quick thought, John took the lead. “So, how are things between you and Jennifer?”

“We see each other as we can, but she still doesn’t want to marry anytime soon. I haven’t been pushing her, but we do talk about it occasionally.” Rodney looked down at the laptop in front of him. “I’m considering calling the relationship off or maybe just staying as friends with benefits. She’s not even sure how much longer she wants to stay here in Atlantis. She still mentions going back to Earth every so often.”

“Oh, Rodney, I am so sorry. Is there something we can do to assist you?” The concern was plain as Teyla made that simple statement.

“You can help me decide which of the rooms up here I want to move into. My current quarters are alright, but they are too close to Jennifer’s and I really can’t stand being that close if the relationship is going nowhere.”

“You got it, buddy. No time like the present.” John stood and hauled Rodney up from the sofa. “This won’t be the first time I’ve helped a buddy find a new bachelor pad.”

Teyla looked at the two friends. “Do you wish me to come?” She was certain that the offer would be refused, but made it anyway.

John shook his head. “Nope. We’ll be fine. We probably won’t even leave this tower.” 

John put his earpiece in and shrugged into his jacket. “I’ve got my radio, McKay’s got his and Atlantis can find me anywhere so we’re good.”

He stepped over and bent down, planting a firm and passionate kiss on Teyla’s lips. “We’ll be back soon.”

* * *

The two were in no rush as they moved along the corridors of the tower. Content to let the silence hang as long as necessary, John took the time to look around. Being laid up, he hadn’t had the chance to explore his new home He’d heard that the troops were already calling this ‘Sheppard’s Tower’. 

There was a central atrium with four corridors running from it. Planters filled with skeletal trees were placed throughout. His and Teyla’s suite was down the corridor they had just exited which was marked by two of the bubble columns, both glowing blue. The other three corridors were similarly marked with red, green and gold.

Rodney headed down the opposite corridor, this one marked with red columns. Accessing the blueprints in his head, John realized that the tower only held some storage rooms and eight apartments: four small suites probably meant for unmarried adults or seniors that wanted to stay close to their families and four large suites, one of which was John and Teyla’s. They wandered into some of the smaller suites without Rodney showing any interest. Finally, John had enough. He grabbed Rodney’s arm and dragged him to one of the enclosed balconies interspersed between the suites. Since they had landed on this icy planet, Atlantis had enclosed the balconies for safety and protection from the perpetual storms.

“Alright, spill it.”

Rodney looked stunned. “Wh…what? Spill what?”

“The sudden decision to move quarters, the clinginess, the quietness, it’s all wrong and not you, so what gives?” John demanded as he took up position by the door, leaning against the wall, long booted legs crossed at the ankles.

Rodney let out a deep sigh as he paced the width of the balcony. “I hoped Jennifer would change her mind if I gave her some space, but she hasn’t. I’ve tried to accept the relationship for what it is, but I can’t.” He looked up at John where he slouched by the door. “I want what you and Teyla have. I want that closeness, the security of having a partner that will stand beside you.”

John shifted, slightly uncomfortable. He still wasn’t good at the emotional stuff, but he was a whole lot better than he had been. Teyla was helping him to accept and share his feelings instead of stuffing them in a box.

John stared into the distance, watching the lightning as he considered his words. “A love like ours is not easy to find. Nancy was a lot like Jennifer; she wanted a husband that would come home every day from the office, read the paper, have dinner or take her out to some fancy party. She married me for the prestige, love was a distant second and I was too infatuated to see it until later. She couldn’t deal with the stuff that I couldn’t tell her.”

Rodney looked up. “But you don’t have to worry about that now.”

John flashed one of his quirky grins. “No, I don’t. Teyla still kicks my ass on a regular basis. She’s not dependent on me for security. We watch each other’s backs. She knows there are things that I can’t tell her because of my position, but she accepts that. The one thing I don’t have to worry about is not being able to tell her about my missions. Even if she doesn’t go with us, Teyla still knows where we’re going and what we’re planning to do.”

Rodney stopped pacing. “That’s not a problem for Jennifer. Her problem is my going missing for a long period then coming back and expecting everything to be the same when it’s not. Teyla helps you to adjust and catch up when that happens. Jennifer usually avoids me or keeps things casual when that happens to me.”

John sighed, rubbing his face with his good hand. “I know. Teyla and I saw it, but neither of us realized it was that bad. I think this is the best thing for you. There’s a woman out there for you, one that’ll be able to deal with the uncertainties of our lives and your quirks -- you just have to find her.” John paused, a silly grin crossing his face. “Sometimes, you get lucky and discover that she’s been with you all along.”

Rodney turned to face his friend. “I also wanted to apologize. My behavior over your heightened gene was inexcusable. You’re my friend and you know I would never willingly treat you like that. I feel bad about everything that’s happened because I feel that I should have been able to resist what Ferrin did.”

John moved from the wall and strolled over to Rodney. “Rodney, it’s okay. I’m fine or close to it anyway, we’re still friends, and our family is still together.” John reached out, placing his hands on Rodney’s shoulders. “You know I’m still not very good at this, but… I want to apologize to you too. Even if Teyla and Ronon didn’t, I should’ve realized that you weren’t acting right. If I had said something, things wouldn’t have gotten so out of hand.”

Rodney stepped back, shaking his head, looking down at the floor. “I don’t blame any of you and you shouldn’t blame yourself either. You were still recovering at the time. With the severe headaches you were having, I know you weren’t thinking very clearly all the time. In addition, you had the burns and pains from the lightning strike to deal with.”  He walked over to his best friend, raised his head and held out his hand, blue eyes shining in the light. “Forgiven?”

Ignoring the hand, John reached out and hugged Rodney. “Forgiven.”

John released a stunned Rodney from the impulsive hug, shook his head and stepped towards the door. “C’mon, it’s time to find you a new pad.” Giving Rodney no time to protest, John propelled him down the corridor.

This time, instead of wandering aimlessly, John steered them in a certain direction. They went back to the atrium and turned down the red lit corridor.  A door opened halfway down, inviting the pair in.

Rodney stepped in and was speechless. The view here was almost as good as Sheppard’s. The suite was two bedrooms, a kitchenette, and a living room. Rodney stepped into the first bedroom and decided that it was for a child or guest as the room was small. The other bedroom turned out to be the master. It had a nice view, plus it had a huge bathroom with a large tub. The tub was one of the things that Rodney missed about his original quarters.

“You like.” 

It was a statement, rather than a question.

“I like. How…? Lantis. She told you, didn’t she?”

John shook his head. “I accessed the tower floor plan. I remembered you commenting about that tub, so I found a small suite with one similar to it. You can stay with us or you can stay in your current room for the night. After we get back from the repository, I’ll loan you some Marines to help haul your stuff up here.”

Rodney looked around. “I think I’ll stay with you tonight.”

“Sounds good.” John put his arm across Rodney’s shoulders. “Let’s go get the rest of our family and go eat. I’m hungry.”

That night, after a nice dinner and a movie, John retired early. He had stayed awake as long as he could, but he still wasn’t back to top form yet. Ronon had settled in one of the spare bedrooms and Rodney was at John’s desk, monitoring a project while typing more of John’s reports from his recorded notes.


	18. Chapter 18

The morning of the mission to the repository dawned clear and very cold, but that was to be expected on what some of the expedition were calling “the galactic ice ball”. Most of the population rose early and hurried through breakfast in order to see the teams leave. The atmosphere in the ready room was tense and full of excitement because, after six years, they were finally going to have a full complement of ZPMs and Jumpers. John had ordered everyone going into full gear. Too often, a seemingly simple mission had turned into a life or death situation, especially for his team. Some of the newbies were nervous about going offworld with John, having heard many of the stories about his high percentage of soured missions, but the veterans were relaxed and told them not to worry.

At 0800, John called a meeting with the mission personnel. Four teams were going, including his and Lorne’s. In addition, out of fifteen Jumpers, seven were being exchanged with units from the depot. These all needed overhauls to a varying degree. Five extra pilots were also making the trip to bring back five additional units. These would carry spare parts for current and future needs. Rodney’s collection of drained ZPMs was going as well because Lantis had indicated that they could be recharged there.

Along with the military personnel, Radek was leading a hand-picked team of scientists and engineers armed with packs of empty high capacity hard drives so they could download any databases that they came across. John had tried to talk him out of it, saying that the databases would be downloaded back to Atlantis when they opened the Gate to go home, but the Czech insisted so John backed off, letting him have his way.

Carson was also going. He had insisted because he wanted to keep an eye on John since he wasn’t fully recovered yet from his recent injuries. Plus, none of the Earth-born gene bearers had ever been exposed to this much power at one time and Carson wanted to watch them for any difficulties. He had decided to have James, Susan and Caitlyn accompany him on the mission. They were all great nurse-practitioners and none had the gene. Even better, they had been around for five years, so they were familiar with the side effects of Ancient technology.

The briefing went smoothly. Everyone knew what they hoped to find on the other side and knew what part to play. The few questions that came up were quickly answered by one of the senior staff. When they reached the Gateroom, there was a pallet loaded with the heavy plastic carriers that they used sitting off to one side on a pallet jack.

John waited by the DHD while everyone slotted into place. As the last trooper settled, he pressed the symbols for the repository. Even though he would be first through the Gate, no one else could dial this sequence because it was keyed specifically to a Muse’s touch. As the wormhole stabilized, John made his way down the stairs. Woolsey and Sam were standing off to one side on the Ops balcony to watch the teams leave. Just before he stepped through the Gate, John turned and threw a jaunty salute towards them.

Stepping out the other side, with Ronon and Lorne a half step behind him, John’s first thought was that he had stepped through a space Gate. The chamber was vast and dark with only tiny specks of light to break up the ebon expanse. As he stepped away from the event horizon, the lights came on; just as they did the first time he set foot in Atlantis. Under the lights, the room looked just as awesome, with plenty of room to park the jumpers. With the wormhole open at his back, John could sense Atlantis updating her counterpart.

_*”Welcome, John Sheppard. My sister has told me of you. I am the Praxis Repository.”*_

The voice that greeted him was female, but sounded more like a grandmother or an aunt where Atlantis sounded a bit like his mother.

_*”Hello to you too, Praxis. Did Lantis tell you why I and my people were coming?”*_

_*”She did. The Gateships you need are being prepped as we speak.”*_

John clicked his radio as they stepped aside. “Alright gang, come on through. The coast is clear.”

The jumpers came through first, all seven of them showing signs of hard use. After the last one entered the cavern, a golden path lit along the floor to guide the craft to the repair bay.

“Jumpers, follow the yellow brick road. That will take you to the repair bay. Once there, park in the areas indicated by the glowing circles then proceed to the docking area to pick up our new jumpers. Once you have them, report back here.”

A chorus of “Yes sir’s” came back across the radio as the string of jumpers exited the cavern.

While John was giving the jumper pilots their instructions, the rest of his team along with those led by Lorne, Waters, and Stackhouse exited the Gate. Radek, his crew and Carson shuffled along in the center of the group. John was amused by the stunned looks on his fellow expedition members’ faces.

Stepping to the center of the embarkation area, John brought his right arm up and out in a gesture of greeting. “Welcome to the Praxis Repository. Praxis will be guiding us to our objectives.”

Rodney recovered quickly. “Praxis? Don’t tell me you’ve already Kirked another facility.” He looked around nervously. “This Praxis isn’t going to explode, is it?”

John shook his head, cocky grin in place. “Nope, she greeted me first and assures me that this planet is very stable, plus it’s Klingon free.”

“Ha, ha, very funny. If I remember correctly, Kirk was Public Enemy Number One among the Klingons, not Spock.” Rodney shot John a smirk. “Plus, I’m not the one who seems to attract cli…”

John held up a hand, pinning Rodney with his best Death Glare. “If you finish that statement, you’ll regret it.”

Rodney’s grin grew bigger. “Oh please. You won’t hurt me and we both know it.”

John gave Rodney his patented cocky grin. “I didn’t say **I** would do anything to you.” At Rodney’s look of confusion, John pointed to the person behind Rodney. Ronon was standing there, arms crossed, with a look on his face that promised pain for anyone that bothered Sheppard. Rodney gulped and moved away to check a console on the far side of the room.

Radek and his crew quickly located a data console and began downloading files. Sitting at a couch conveniently positioned along one wall, John watched the rest of the personnel wander through the room. Teyla and Ronon stayed by his side, ever watchful after recent events. After ten minutes, they heard the unmistakable hum of jumper engines, right before twelve shiny new jumpers entered the cavernous room. Before the ships could settle, John signaled Rodney, who was examining the DHD to dial Atlantis and send them through.

With the jumpers taken care of, John turned towards the fourth wall and made a beckoning gesture with his right hand. Immediately, an unseen panel opened and four transport vehicles trundled out into the Gateroom. Each had space for eight passengers plus cargo space. John and his team plus Carson and Radek piled into the first vehicle. The carriers for the ZPMs were split between John and Lorne’s transports. The other three teams each took one, with the scientists splitting up amongst them. Once everyone was settled John, in the front row of seats, placed his right hand on a touch pad located on the dashboard in front of him. Lorne did the same in the next vehicle with Waters and Sgt. Abrams handling the driving in the last two. 

Their first stop was the parts depot for the jumpers. Radek and other three engineers jumped out as soon as John stopped. After John initiated it, Radek quickly accessed the nearby console and searched for the parts catalog.

_*”Please tell the excited one that my servos will pull the parts for him if he uploads his requirements.”*_

John looked over at Radek, who was in the process of dividing up the bins for parts to be pulled. “Hey, Dr. Z, if you upload your shopping lists, Praxis will do the legwork for you.”

Radek pushed his glasses up. “Is true? Where do I upload needed parts?”

John pointed at a blinking connector port on the console. “I think you jack in there.”

“Ah, thank you, Colonel. This will save much time.” Radek uploaded the list of parts with just a few taps on his tablet.

_*”Requirements received. I will have the parts ready in an hour.”*_

_*”Thank you, Praxis.”*_

Once everyone piled back into the vehicles, the convoy took off again. After a short passage, they arrived at the construction bots which were large, multi-limbed constructs with a variety of tools. John could see how they could shift form to accommodate variable conditions. At this stop, only two people got out, Radek and Peter Jennings, a structural engineer with the gene. John considered it, but his head was starting to pound so he stayed in the transport and took a pair of Advil before munching on a power bar. Jennings stepped over to the first bot and touched it with no effect. He spotted a tablet on a column next to the bot and picked it up. The tablet flashed in Ancient before the text changed and reappeared in English.

_*”I have taken the initiative to translate the tablet’s contents for you. My sister will be able to assist you with the city database once she is fully powered again.”*_

_*”Thank you, Praxis, that was most helpful.”*_

Radek and Peter were overjoyed at the ease of use. The tablet was the controller and the operating manual. Jennings and five other scientists with the gene stayed behind to practice with the bots. Stackhouse and his team stayed with them.

As the transports rolled through the corridor, John glanced over at Rodney. He was sitting on the edge of his seat, poised to jump out the minute he saw orange. He looked like a dog whose master was about to throw a stick.

“Down boy, the ZPMs are not going anywhere.” John said in an amused drawl.

“Yeah, McKay, this is not the chow line.” Ronon jumped in, his soft rumble also amused. “The ZPMs are not the last chocolate pudding on the tray.”

Teyla leaned forward and placed a soft hand on Rodney’s shoulder. “Perhaps you should sit back in order to avoid injury. Jumping from this vehicle would not be a good idea.”

Rodney shook himself as his team’s words penetrated his impatience. “Yeah, yeah, you’re right. Don’t need a broken leg. If I break my leg, then Radek will probably screw up the installation and destroy the city.”

In the third row, Radek shook his head. “No, City only will blow up if your ego is unchecked.”

Rodney turned in his seat to face the Czech. “Hey, I’ve saved the city numerous times! The only thing I’ve ever blown up was a few generators!”

“And a few labs.” That was Ronon’s contribution.

“Do not forget the artifacts that have been destroyed, and the numerous times John has shielded you and been injured.” That was Teyla.

“Let’s also not forget Doranda.”

Rodney waved his hands at them. “Yes, yes, let’s keep dragging all of that up. Would you like to pour salt in the wounds as well? Or maybe put a _’kick me‘_ sign on my back.”

John’s eyes lit at the idea, but Teyla shook her head no at him. John gave a tiny shrug to say “oh well.”

Ahead of the transports, a blank wall loomed. Rodney and Radek hopped out as soon as the vehicles stopped.

“What the hell? You’re kidding, right?” Rodney was getting loud with agitation. “Is this some kind of freaking joke? We come all this way to be met with a blank wall?”

Radek looked irritated as well, but was keeping his cool better. “Rodney, calm down. We saw ZPM in hologram. They must be here.”

Rodney waved his LSD at the wall. “This scans as solid. There is no door, no transporter, nothing visible.”

“Perhaps scan is incorrect?” Radek looked at Rodney. “Does scanner need to be recalibrated?”

Behind them, John and the rest were watching the two scientists with varying attitudes of interest, ranging from fascination to boredom. John in particular was bored and about to take a nap when Praxis spoke to him. Stepping from the transport, John walked to the wall, splitting the block of Rodney and Radek like a surfer and reached out to place his palm on the seemingly solid surface before him. At his touch a section of the wall began to glow blue. A door appeared and slowly slid open. John kept his hand in place until the doors completely opened. At the cessation of movement, the pilot dropped his hand, staggering a bit. Rodney was at his side in an instant, supporting him.

“Are you okay?” Rodney said. John was still recovering from all he had been through and was only allowed light duty. Heck, the only reason they were on this mission today was that Carson came along and that this was a secure location.

“Colonel, are you unwell?” Radek added his concerns.

John waved them off. “I’m fine. It was just a reaction to the power pouring out of those.” At his gesture, everyone looked into the room.

A rack of warmly glowing zero point modules stood along one wall.

The entryway was not large enough for the vehicles so the containers were unloaded and carried in. Rodney and Radek had hurried to the room’s control console. The excited chatter from the two scientists sounded musical to the teams.

Lorne approached John where he leaned against the wall. “Well, sir, looks like we got what we came for.”

John glanced at his XO. “We did. It’s nice for a plan to come together.”

Lorne cocked an eyebrow at his CO. “Sir, you and yours put Hannibal’s A-Team to shame. The situations the four of you get out of on a regular basis would leave anyone else a gibbering wreck. Not to mention that your sanest plans are extraordinarily crazy in anyone else’s book.” 

He chuckled as another thought popped into his mind. “Y’ know, when O’Neill offered me this post, he told me that he saw a lot of himself in you. At the time, I thought he was kidding, thinking that the universe didn’t have that much of a sense of humor. Now, after almost six years, I’ve realized that he was right. The two of you are so alike it’s scary.”

John glanced over at his second. “Do you regret coming?”

Lorne shook his head. “Hell no, sir. I’m glad I came. My only wish is that you didn’t get hurt so much. I don’t want your job. I couldn’t keep this place running as well as you do.”

John chuckled, a cocky grin gracing his face. “You underestimate yourself, Evan. You’re nothing like me or O’Neill, but you have your own style. You’ll have your own command someday and you’ll see what I mean.”

John would have said more, but was interrupted by Rodney.

“Sheppard, if you’re done holding the wall up, we need you need to release the ZedPMs.”

John heaved a sigh as he pushed away from the wall. “One human light switch coming right up.”

Approaching the console, John cast a glance over the rest of the troops. They were standing near the rack of ZPMs, with the now empty cases open at their feet, looking up at the nearest, which was ten feet from the floor. At Rodney’s impatient gesture, John placed his right hand on the control plate. A stream of information flowed into his mind. In an instant, John knew what to do. He activated a set of robotic arms and eased the first two ZPMs from their cradles, lowering them to the waiting soldiers who quickly secured the glowing modules in the protective carriers. The same process was followed for the other ten ZPM. Of the twelve that they were leaving with, six were headed for Earth. 

While manipulating the first two armatures, John activated two more that picked up the depleted modules and deposited them into a recycler. Praxis informed him that the modules would be re-energized in a distant portion of the facility. Once the last of the ZPMs were transferred, John stowed the arms away. He staggered as he released the console. Both Radek and Rodney lent him support until he found his balance.

Straightening with a slight grunt, John waved the two scientists off. “I’m fine.” He glanced over his shoulder at Ronon and Teyla who had moved up when they saw him wobble. “Seriously, guys, I’m fine. Just a bit tired.”

John stepped away from the console and almost ran over Carson.

“I’ll be the judge of that, laddie.” Carson put John’s right arm across his shoulders and wrapped his left arm around the lanky Colonel’s waist. Carson helped John back to the transport and checked him over. He concluded that the Colonel was right, that it was just exhaustion. He prescribed a long nap for the pilot once they returned to the city.

With the ZPMs loaded, the three teams headed back to the gate. When they reached Jennings and his group of scientists and engineers, they discovered that the engineers had made the construction bots transform into a vehicular mode. The scientists piled into the transports and, with the bots trundling alongside, headed back to pick up the jumper parts.

At the parts area, there were four pallets of crates waiting to be loaded. Lorne hopped out and did the honors this time, activating a pair of loading arms and moving the pallets to the vehicles.

_*”In addition to the requested parts, I also added some other items that you seemed to need which includes replacement crystals.”*_

_*”Thanks, Praxis. Rodney and Radek will be thrilled. We’ll probably be making a return trip real soon since there’s a lot of restoration work to do.”*_ A question popped into John’s head. _*”How did you know what other parts we need?”*_

_*”When the Stargate opened, my sister communicated her needs to me. I deduced that you would be pleased by their inclusion.”_

If a computer could blush, John felt that Praxis would have _. *“I am and McKay and Radek will be as well.”*_

Once they were underway, John informed the two lead scientists of the bonus items in the crates. The pair immediately started prioritizing which systems would get fixed first. The discussion continued until they reached the Gateroom. At the Gateroom, they collected the pair of scientists who had been downloading the database. They couldn’t take the trucks back to Atlantis because they were too big to navigate the corridors, so it was fortunate that the construction bots had a vehicle mode. The Marines shifted the crates onto the bots, and the scientists joined in with carrying the ZPMs.

John dialed the Gate and once the wormhole established, led the returning teams through the Gate. On the other side, a great cheer went up as the ZPM cases were the first thing through behind John and his team. The sight of the robots garnered some ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ from the observers. Even as the Gate shut down, Rodney took charge of the ZPMs. Radek and Jennings took charge of the parts and the construction bots. John, with Ronon shadowing him, detoured through the mess hall and then headed off to get some sleep. Teyla went to spend time and have lunch with Torren. The mood in the city was jubilant. 

John did not want to be stopped by everyone in the corridors so he took the nearest transporter and went straight to their quarters. Once John was safely inside, Ronon went for a run. John took three Advil, ate his lunch then stretched out on the couch, rolled up in a thick blanket and went to sleep with Atlantis humming in his head.

* * *

After spending the afternoon with Torren, mother and son ate in the mess hall. Teyla made sure to pick a sandwich up for John in case he had not yet eaten. Upon entering the suite, Teyla noticed the quiet. Stepping into the kitchen to put the sandwich in the refrigerator, Teyla noticed that there were a few dirty dishes in the kitchen that had not been there earlier, meaning John had eaten. While Torren put his toys and books away, Teyla stuck her head into the bedroom she shared with John. He was buried under the covers, deeply asleep. 

As she stared at the man in the bed, Teyla reflected on her life. Before she met John Sheppard, if anyone had told her that she would give up leading her people to be living in the City of the Ancestors with a man from another galaxy that she was soon to marry, she would have suggested that they quit drinking Ruus wine mixed with dreamberries because they were obviously having delusions. Now, looking at John, sprawled on the bed, the brilliant auroras gilding the shape of his body in a rainbow of color, she could imagine nothing else. She had Torren John, her son that she loved very much and she had John, the man she planned to stand beside as his partner for the rest of their lives. She had people that respected and appreciated her, friends to share joy and tragedy with, and was doing something meaningful for more than just the Athosians. Moving carefully so as not to wake him, Teyla tucked the covers in around John’s shoulders, knowing she was exactly where she wanted to be.


	19. Chapter 19

The next day, while Radek and Rodney were installing the new ZPMs, John and Teyla took some needed time for themselves. Years before, the pair had discovered a shared art form. Teyla had come into the gym and saw John in the midst of a series of katas. The Tau’ri called it Tai Chi, the Athosians called it Shi-on, but it was essentially the same. For such an active person, she had been surprised that he would be an initiate into something so calm. She realized that he practiced the art to stay limber and to help in his recovery from serious injuries. After watching for a few minutes, she slipped in and joined him. John had cocked an eyebrow at her, but said nothing as she moved into the next form beside him. After that, they practiced together as often as possible.

With the injuries he had sustained recently, not to mention the migraines, John had been unable to spar or participate in any of the more physical exercises he loved. The Tai Chi was a way for him to regain his strength without risking further injury.  

In the midst of their exercises, he felt the increase in the power levels once the first new ZPM was installed then the slight dip in power as the older, mostly depleted one was removed. The installation of the second brought a sizable increase in the power levels so strong that John almost missed a step in the kata they were performing. He called a break and walked over to grab some water. After taking a few sips while he strengthened his mental control, John chalked the misstep up to tiredness.

They were in the middle of another series of moves when his radio went off. Since they weren’t sparring, John had left his radio in his ear. Reaching up with a hint of annoyance, he tapped his radio. “Sheppard here.”

Rodney’s voice sounded in his ear, his tone brusque.

_“Colonel, I need you in the Chair room right away. We’re getting ready to install the third ZedPM and I’ll need you to run the diagnostics and initialize systems once it’s in place.”_

“Why don’t you get Lorne to do it? He handled the diagnostics on the other two ZPMs.”

John closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose to ease his budding headache. He could almost hear Rodney roll his eyes in exasperation over the comm.

_“Because, Colonel, while Major Lorne does have a strong gene, his is not as strong as yours nor does he possess your sensitivity to all things Ancient.”_

John opened his eyes, sighing as he picked up his towel and started drying off. “Can’t this wait ‘til tomorrow? I really don’t wanna start that this late in the day ‘cause that means it’ll take all evening.”

He could imagine Rodney shaking his head. _“No, because if we install the third ZedPM without running the diagnostics afterwards, it could be bad, as in ‘things-blow-up’ bad. Besides, the sooner we get this done the sooner we can finish the repairs to the Stardrive and leave this ice ball, so get your whining, messy-haired self to the Chair room.”_

John stood up straight, placing his hands on his hips. “Whining? I don’t think so, McKay. I just need my beauty sleep.”

_“Hah! Beauty sleep? In your case, it’s more like sleeping with beauty ‘cause Teyla’s definitely prettier than you are!”_

“Rodney.” John’s drawl sounded a bit testy.

_“Alright, alright. Just get to the Chair room. Quicker we start, quicker we’re done.”_

John growled. “I’m on my way.” He tapped his radio, cutting the connection.

Turning, he saw Teyla holding out her hands, his .45 in one, the other waiting for his towel. He traded his damp towel for his sidearm, wrapping the belt around his slim waist as she stuffed the towel into their gym bag.

“You heard?”

Teyla nodded. “I did. It seems that Rodney is somewhat impatient.”

“Impatient?” John snorted, bending to fasten the thigh strap of his holster. “That’s like saying a Wraith is just a picky eater. I don’t think Rodney knows the meaning of the word patience.”

Teyla smiled as she finished putting her own sidearm on. “Rodney knows how to be patient. I believe this impatience is because we have sought this power for so long.”

John grimaced, running his hand through his still damp hair as he slipped his jacket on. “Yeah, I know. I was just looking forward to spending the evening with you.”

Teyla nodded, slipping her jacket on as she spoke. “I as well, but we shall still spend the evening together as I am going with you. After all that has happened, Ronon and I agreed that you would not be left alone unless you are in our quarters.”

John opened his mouth to protest then shut it just as quick. He closed his eyes realizing that they were right. The fog of pain he’d experienced over the last couple of weeks had screwed with his senses. Just like a real fog, sometimes it thinned to nothing and sometimes it was so thick he couldn’t see his own hand. He could easily miss something important or dangerous, so deciding not to object was really the only choice.

Teyla waited, recognizing the internal debate happening in John’s head. She could see the thoughts skitter across his expressive face like a beetle seeking shelter. When he gave himself a shake and his eyes opened, she knew they were ready to go. Grabbing the gym bag, she fell in beside him, his long strides already eating up the distance to the nearest transporter.

* * *

No one realized anything was different while the ZPMs were being installed until after the second one became operational and some of the scientists with medium level genes staggered into the mess hall singing Christmas carols. Several other scientists followed them in, trying unsuccessfully to quiet their co-workers. Carson and Jennifer were sitting together having lunch when the group entered. Both left their trays to hurry over and check on the songsters.

One embarrassed-looking scientist saw the two doctors approaching and hurried over. “On, thank god! Surely the two of you can figure out what happened to them!”

Carson put out a hand. “Whoa, son. Start at the beginning an’ tell us what happened.”

The young scientist took a deep breath. “We were working on projects as usual. Doctors Valencia and Womack mentioned that they felt a bit of a headache coming on, but figured that it was from overwork. Dr. Thompson was next, mentioning that she felt a little light-headed. Next thing we knew, the three of them plus Doctors Marks and James started singing. At first the songs were random, then they settled on Christmas carols.”

Jennifer looked at Carson. “Let’s get them to the infirmary and see what’s going on.”

Carson agreed, so the two of them plus the non-singing scientists and a couple of Marines shepherded the five singers to the infirmary. The first test they ran was a blood alcohol content, which came back clean. Subsequent blood tests showed elevated levels of the ATA protein and serotonin, along with a compound similar to alcohol sugar.

The next affected group to enter the infirmary was a squad of Airmen. Two were sporting black eyes, a third a broken nose and the last two some colorful bruises. The two with the bruises were keeping the first pair separated while the one with the broken nose walked slightly behind them.

Carson intercepted them just inside the doorway. “What’s goin’ on here?”

The trooper with the broken nose stepped forward. “Staff Sergeant Haskins, sir. We were in the middle of training exercises when the Airmen broke routine and went at each other. After we got them separated, we brought them here because of the rest of their behavior.”

Carson was making notes. “What concerned ye, son?”

The sergeant straightened. “Doc, the Airmen were swinging wildly, using slurred speech and unable to stay upright. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear they were drunk, but we’ve been together since 0700 this morning.”

Carson motioned to two of the orderlies. “Get these men to exam beds on opposite sides of the room until we figure this out.” Next, he motioned two nurses over. “Kim, Denise, I want a blood alcohol content on those two along with the ATA protein test.”

The two nurses nodded and headed off. Carson led Haskins to another bed where he set the soldier’s broken nose.

Over the next thirty minutes, fifty other people were either brought in or reported to the infirmary on their own. Many were corralled by friends and taken to their quarters to stay out of trouble or to sleep their apparent inebriation off.

During a lull, the two doctors gathered to compare notes. They realized that the reported symptoms covered the entire range usually associated with excessive alcohol consumption, including singing, fighting and uncharacteristic moodiness. Physical symptoms included headache, light sensitivity, nausea, loss of coordination and others. Carson realized that all these patients were natural gene carriers. Jennifer deduced that the severity of symptoms was directly proportional to the strength of the individual’s ATA gene.

In a moment of intuition, wincing as his own headache started to build and realizing that things were about to get worse, Carson tapped his radio. “Rodney, have ye installed the third ZPM yet?”

 _“No, Carson, we haven’t.”_ Rodney’s reply was brusque. _“We keep getting interrupted. Did I miss a memo about today being amateur comedy day? If so, I wish I had stayed in bed or thought to bring earplugs. I can see why some of these people are not performers – they couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket with instructions and an escort.”_

“Rodney, this is important – do not install the third one yet. The ZPM is causing these occurrences.”

* * *

Listening to Carson explain, Rodney realized how badly they were about to be screwed. Over thirty percent of the city’s population had the natural Ancient gene. Many of those were low to medium level gene carriers. The stronger carriers, like Lorne and Carson, were rarer and most were soldiers. Then there was Sheppard. Rodney had never seen the Colonel drunk, but he knew what Sheppard could do if his control slipped.

Interrupting the Scottish doctor’s explanation, Rodney spat out his own concerns. “Carson, we need to find the stronger gene carriers, especially Lorne and Sheppard or we are gonna be so screwed…”

Even as Rodney said it, Carson realized that he was right. All of the natural gene carriers needed to be confined in the infirmary or preferably in their quarters.

After conferring with Jennifer, Carson let her call Woolsey and break the news. Jennifer kept Carson under observation herself.

Instead of instituting a quarantine, Woolsey sent out teams to find and escort the gene bearers to secure locations. The calm ones were being taken to the mess hall while the violent were being stunned and taken to the infirmary or the brig.

Unfortunately, the teams weren’t quick enough.


	20. Chapter 20

Ronon and Amelia were spending quality time together as well. They hadn’t spent much time together recently so Amelia decided that Ronon could make it up to her by being her willing sex slave. She found that Ronon, who was a very vigorous lover, was also very good at being submissive, at least where sex was involved. The only thing he balked at was being tied up until Amelia showed him how easy it was to escape from the cuffs. 

They had showered and were taking a break for lunch when their radios went off. Grabbing their respective units, they headed to opposite corners to take their calls. Ronon’s was from Teyla while Amelia’s was from Chuck.

Teyla asked that Ronon meet them at the Chair room. With two entrances, she felt that John would not be safe because she would not be able to guard both doorways.

Chuck called Amelia to ask for her help in the Gateroom. Some of the technicians had been affected by the power surge and had been escorted back to their quarters.

Ending their calls, the two shared their conversations before dressing and heading out. Ronon escorted Amelia to the Gateroom then took off at a run for the Chair room. The way Teyla had sounded made Ronon suspect that she was expecting trouble.

* * *

 John was hoping to make it to the Chair room without incident. His vision was starting to blur and the pounding in his head was getting worse. The power surge was also eroding his self-control. The loss of control was why he didn’t like to get drunk. He hated the fuzzy, disconnected feeling it gave him. John and Teyla were almost to the Chair room when they met one of the roving bands. The hallway ahead of them was blocked by a group of soldiers. The gang had been nervously milling around in the corridor until they saw the Colonel and Teyla.

“Well, well, lookie here. We’ve caught the root of our problems, boys.” The speaker was Corporal Jensen, a relative newcomer to the city. Six other soldiers filled the corridor behind him, all of them natural gene carriers.

John stepped forward, projecting strength and calm, the ring of command evident in his voice. “Corporal, you and these others need to stand down. I need to get to the Chair Room now.”

The Corporal shook his head. “Nope. See, we’ve all been feelin’ itchy since just after you went to that warehouse planet. So me and my buddies think it’s all your fault.”

John knew the situation was going downhill quickly. He felt Teyla move away from him in order to be ready for the rush they both knew was coming. He had turned his head just a notch to check on her position when a fist came out of nowhere. The blow caught him by surprise, throwing him back several feet to slam into a wall. Pain shot up the left side of his back at the impact, greying his vision out and stunning him for a moment. John’s vision cleared just in time for him to intercept a booted foot aimed at his head. Quick as thought, he grabbed, twisted and pulled. The hapless Marine had no time to prepare for the fall and landed with an audible crack.

Looking at the unconscious Marine, John staggered to his feet, chuckling. “That’s what I call a two hit fight.”

Watching for his next opponent, John saw Teyla take out one of the soldiers while ducking a wild swing from another. Another Marine loomed in John’s view, bringing his attention back to his own fight. John ducked a poorly aimed haymaker, landing a knee in his opponent’s stomach then planting that same knee in the trooper’s face when he doubled over. The move sent a shooting pain up John’s back that he pushed aside for the moment. Unfortunately, Corporal Tanner managed to hook one of John’s ankles and topple him, this time smacking his right side against the wall, drawing a sharp cry of pain. Tanner tried to take advantage of his distraction, but John caught a glimpse of the roundhouse punch coming. He slid down the wall and struck out with a foot, using Tanner’s own momentum against him. Tanner, unable to stop, stumbled into the wall face first. He hit with a clunk which was followed by a resounding thud when he hit the floor.

His third opponent tried to be sneaky, holding off and jumping around throwing rabbit punches at the Colonel. Unfortunately, Airman Roberts was shorter than his CO. Pushing his pain down, John bid his time then swung into a beautiful roundhouse kick, shifting his hips just enough to alter the trajectory downwards, making the kick deceptive. The move caught Roberts unaware and he toppled as the kick impacted his groin.

Drawing himself up, John looked for another opponent, but there was none. Teyla had taken out three other soldiers. The last one, a young Airman, was standing in the corridor in shock, having just seen his CO and the petite Athosian take down six highly trained soldiers. Eyes wide in disbelief, the trooper took to his heels and disappeared.

John staggered as the adrenalin rush faded. Teyla grabbed him around the waist until he found his balance. At his grunt of pain, she looked up into his face. John was pale and she could see the pain lines around his mouth and eyes. “John?”

John let out another groan, straightening as he found his balance. His back felt like Rick Allen had used it as a bass drum at a Def Leppard concert, with his head filling in for one of the tom-toms. As an added bonus his eyesight kept getting fuzzy, which didn’t help his headache. All he wanted right now was some good drugs, a firm bed and Teyla’s soft hands massaging his back. 

The last time he’d felt like this, he’d been on leave with Mitch and Dex. They had gone to a bar that served a drink called ‘the Zombie’. Mitch and Dex bought him four of them while they drank Long Island Iced Teas then watched him stumble around the bar, laughing hilariously until he threw up on both of them. That was the only time they ever got him drunk. Once he sobered up, John took the pair to the gym and beat the crap out of them under the guise of sparring.

They were almost at the Chair Room when John stumbled again, placing his free hand to his forehead.

“John?”

He could hear the worry in her tone.

“I’m alrigh’. That… was the third… ZPM kickin’ in.”

John peered down at Teyla, noticing the worried frown on her face. The breathy quality of his voice probably didn’t help ease her concerns.

Taking a deep breath, John concentrated on his next words, enunciating carefully. “I’m good. Let’s get this done.”

Teyla looked at him askance. “If you say so. Was not Rodney supposed to wait on you before he installed the third ZPM?” 

“I thought he was going to. Guess he decided not to.”

He wasn’t fooling her and they both knew it. Fortunately they weren’t far from the Chair Room. Upon arrival, Teyla swiveled the Chair for John so he wouldn’t have to move any further than necessary. Once he was seated, John sealed the doors and hallways leading to the Chair Room. 

* * *

Watching John as he eased into the Control Chair, Teyla worried. She had seen him take two very hard hits to his back. Helping him walk to this room, she had felt the tension and stiffness developing in his muscles; she knew he would be in great pain when this was over. Moving over to a corner of the room while John started the diagnostics, Teyla got ready to call Carson when her radio chirped.

_“Teyla, this is Carson. Is the Colonel with you?”_

Teyla nodded even though the Scot couldn’t see it. “He is. I was about to contact you. We were set upon by a group of apparently inebriated soldiers near here.”

_“Where are ye, lass?”_

Teyla blushed. “I am sorry, Carson. We are in the Chair Room.”

_“Are either o’ ye injured?”_

“I am fine, but John was thrown into the wall hard twice and had trouble straightening afterwards.”

_“Hmmm… did he hit his head?”_

Teyla thought a moment then shook hers. “No. The impacts were to his back.”

 _“I’ll make a note of it an’ have a team on standby for him.”_ Carson was silent for a moment. _“Teyla, is John showing any signs o’ drunkenness?”_

Carson quickly explained what had happened to most of the city’s gene bearers.

Teyla frowned, glancing over at John, seated in the Chair and already working with Rodney. “I am not sure, as I have never seen John drunk. He was walking unsteadily and has a headache, but I do not know if those are from the fight or from the ZPMs.”

She heard Carson sigh.

_“Aye, those could be from either condition. If he experiences any blurred vision, slurred speech or nausea let us know.”_

“I will, Carson. Thank you.”

* * *

Ronon arrived late. He had been waylaid by drunks as he crossed the city and kept having to detour. He knew something was going on because there wasn’t enough alcohol in the city to get this many people drunk. When he neared the Chair Room, he realized that Teyla and Sheppard were already there because the doors were sealed. He tapped his radio.

“Teyla, get Sheppard to let me in.”

_“I will, Ronon.”_

Just as her words reached his ears, the doors in front of him slid apart just enough for him to squeeze through and quickly closed behind him. Loping towards the Chair Room, Ronon came across the unconscious troopers. From the way the men were laying, he figured that Sheppard and Teyla took out three apiece. 

Once he reached the Chair Room, he noticed Sheppard reclined in the Chair, the headrest glowing brilliant blue. His eyes were closed, but that just made the pain lines and the dark circles under them more noticeable. With a nod to Teyla, they each took up station by one of the doors. No one was getting past them to harm their friend.

* * *

John was already deep in the systems running the diagnostics. He could feel Rodney in the ZPM chamber checking over the results on his tablet. Radek was also online, working with different systems. Through a sixth sense, he could even tell where Teyla and Ronon were lurking. On a normal day, the stress of balancing two sets of diagnostics would only give him a mild headache that a couple of Advil and a nap would cure. Today, though, it felt like a Gremlin with a jackhammer had taken up residence, although he hadn’t been in contact with any Mogwai lately.  As if the pounding in his head was not bad enough, John started to feel nauseous— he kept it at bay through sheer stubbornness.

John was in a lull while Radek and Rodney conferred over priority for a few of the systems when he felt something trying to work its way into his already throbbing head. It was a small program, but his mind saw it as a snake and he knew it didn’t belong. He threw up a mental shield, but the snake slithered around it. Having failed to deter the snake, John did the next best thing – he put his ‘foot’ on it. He ‘looked’ back along its path and noticed a trail of distortion and wrongness.

“McKay.” John croaked, surfacing from the interface slightly. He was surprised at how awful he sounded. No reply, just the two scientists arguing, so he tried again. “McKay.” His voice was a bit stronger, but he still sounded hoarse. Still no response from the Canadian physicist. Taking a deep breath, John inwardly cringed, knowing what he was about to do would make his headache worse. “ **Rodney!** ”

 _“What? You don’t have to shout.”_ Rodney sounded miffed. _“I have delicate hearing, you know. Why, you could’ve…”_

John gritted his teeth. “Rodney! I’ve found a program that doesn’t belong. I have it captured and need some place to put it until you can dissect it.”

 _“_ _What do you_ _mean it doesn’t belong?”_ Rodney paused, and John could almost hear him curbing his impatience. _“You’re not a programmer, so…”_

John took a deep breath and counted to ten … slowly. “Rodney, I spend enough time in Atlantis’s system that I know it almost as well as you do. When I’m in the Chair, I can see the systems in this city very clearly. I can tell where changes or repairs have been made. If I touch those areas, I can even tell who did it and when. So believe me when I tell you that this program does not belong.”

Rodney and Radek were ecstatic. That was the most Sheppard had ever divulged about working with the Chair, although both men felt that he saw more than what he said. Rodney theorized that the pilot interacted with the Chair just like he did with the Jumpers, by envisioning a HUD that would allow him to make changes and affect systems.

Rodney shook himself, drawing his attention back to the matter at hand. Reaching into his pack, Rodney pulled another tablet out. This one was not connected to any of the networks in the city. He quickly hooked it to his current tablet so he could control what the second one saw. “Okay Sheppard, I have a secondary tablet hooked in.” He entered a few commands. “You should see a funnel shape. Drop the program in there.”

John did see a funnel shape, so he carefully grabbed the ‘snake’ and tossed it into Rodney’s funnel. “Rodney?” John put a wealth of questions into the name.

Rodney tapped on the two tablets. “I’ve got it.” He unhooked the second. “It’s secure. We’ll dissect it later and let you know who’s been naughty.”

John chuffed softly. “You do that and I’ll let Ronon bite them. He’s been feeling a bit testy since he hasn’t gotten to shoot anyone lately.”

Radek chimed in. “Let us know and we will record. Would make interesting viewing for Orientation. Wonder if the bite of a Satedan is poisonous?”

John let out a soft bark. “Hah! You got it, Dr. Z. I don’t know, but I know I don’t want him biting me.” John could feel Ronon’s amusement at the banter between him and the Czech.

With the program out of the way, the rest of the diagnostics went relatively smoothly. With Atlantis’ help, the trio fixed the damage left by the snake. Radek and Rodney broke into the occasional squabble, but that was nothing new. If they weren’t fussing at or with each other, the crap had already hit the fan and they were all in serious trouble.

Usually surfacing from the Chair Interface was like swimming to John, but this time he had to fight his way out. He was so exhausted that it took an enormous effort. Seeing him struggle, Lantis gently pushed him out. Blinking at the dim light, John focused on Teyla’s worried face as he released the lockdown on the area. “Hi, Teyla.”

“John. You had me worried.” She put her hands on his shoulders and touched her forehead to his before kissing him. “How do you feel?”

John took a deep breath. The nausea had faded for the time being, but his head still pounded like a double bass and even breathing sent shooting pains up his back. “Truthfully? I feel worse than crap and would really like a hot shower, a massage and some of Carson’s good stuff.” 

John shifted his hands on the Chair and flexed his knees, preparing to get up. When he pushed up, pain flared up his back like he’d just been dipped in liquid fire. Ronon caught him as he let out an involuntary sharp cry of pain and eased him back. The aborted movement had ratcheted up his headache and the nausea made a comeback. At his cry, he heard Teyla call for the med team Carson had promised. Carson was sleeping off the power trip but he’d told Jennifer what had happened. She had put a med team on standby near the Chair Room and they moved in at Teyla’s call. The medics arrived just as John turned green. One of the nurses noticed and grabbed a bucket, holding it for John as Ronon supported him, Teyla stroking the back of his head and neck while he lost his lunch, breakfast and probably last night’s dinner. When the retching stopped, the dry heaves began. His vision greyed out and he felt himself being lifted from the Chair as the darkness swooped in and covered everything.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to BMick and JoeyLuv for their suggestions for this chapter.

Waking in the infirmary was never John’s idea of fun, but this time it royally sucked. His head was pounding, his eyelids were sticky and the inside of his mouth felt like it had been packed with cotton balls. Emitting a heartfelt groan, he mentally reached out and dimmed the bright lights assaulting his closed eyes. He heard movement nearby when the lights dimmed.

“Oh! Sorry, Colonel. I forgot to turn the lights down.” He heard cloth rustle as Jennifer sat down. “Can you open your eyes for me?”

It took some effort, but John eventually succeeded in opening them a tiny bit. Finding the area sufficiently dim, he opened them the rest of the way. Focusing on Jennifer’s face, he opened his mouth to ask a question but that was forestalled by a straw slipping between his lips. He let his eyes show his gratitude as he sipped on the cool liquid. After a handful of sips, the straw was pulled away and he looked around as Jennifer set the glass back on the table. He was lying on his right side almost on his chest, pillows and foam wedges propping him up, in the private room that Jennifer and Carson had set aside for his team. Right now he and Jennifer were the only two people present.

“Hey, doc. Is ev’ryone alright? How long was I out?” He was dismayed at how rough his voice sounded.

Jennifer smiled and placed her hands in her lap. “Everyone else is fine. There was an outbreak of rampant embarrassment and it’s been not quite four days. Your back is severely bruised, which is why you’re lying in this position. Can you tell me what hurts without moving too much?”

John shifted minutely, testing for aches and pains. He tensed as the slight movement sent spasms racing along his back. “My back hurts and my head is throbbing.”

Jennifer smiled at the honesty. “Well, I can take care of that for you. You just have to suffer through an exam first.”

John groaned, turning his puppy-dog eyes on her. “If I gotta, but make it quick, please?”

Jennifer did just that, checking his pulse, blood pressure and pupil reactions before listening to his lungs. “Well, no other problems have cropped up, which is good. I want to keep you the rest of the day and I’ll release you first thing in the morning if there are no changes.” 

He was about to protest when Jennifer held up a hand. “I know what you’re about to ask, and I’m keeping you because we want to get you up and moving around before releasing you. On the bright side, there are some folks waiting to see you.” 

John watched as she left through the door. A few minutes later, she ushered in his team plus Torren and Amelia. Torren climbed onto the bed to give John a careful hug while Teyla sat on the bed beside him. Rodney perched on the stool Jennifer had vacated while Ronon and Amelia sat on the bed next to his.

“Hi, Da! You better now?”

John returned the hug gingerly, feeling the muscles in his back pull. “Gettin’ there, buddy. You been a good boy for your Mama?”

The toddler nodded as he snuggled in against John. “Yup. Unca Ronon an’ Aunt ‘Melia been playin’ wit’ me when Mama can’t.”

John raised an eyebrow and looked over at Ronon and Amelia. Amelia was blushing furiously, staring at the floor. “Aunt Amelia?”

Amelia glanced up nervously. “Um, yes, Colonel. He started calling me that the other day. I tried to get him to quit, but he persists.”

“Good luck with that. Teyla says he got it from me.” John shot her one of his trademark quirky grins. “Relax, Amelia. I’m not mad. From what I hear you’re almost part of the family.” He caught Ronon’s quick grin in the corner of his eye. “Also, you can call me by my name when we’re not on duty. I hear ‘Colonel’ and ‘sir’ enough; I don’t want to hear it from my family.”

Amelia nodded. “Yes, s… um…John.”

John turned his gaze to Rodney. “So, Rodney, any idea what that program was?”

Rodney tapped his tablet a few times. “Yes, I do. Radek dissected it after the diagnostics were finished. It seems that Ferrin was naughtier than we first thought. The program was designed to activate if we ever had two or more ZedPMs installed. It caused the ATA gene to encourage the production of certain chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin and testosterone. In essence, all of the natural gene carriers ended up drunk.”

“Damn, and I didn’t even get to enjoy drinking to get that way.” John frowned. “Why only the naturals?”

“Because the ATA gene is expressed at a much higher level in the natural carriers.” Jennifer stepped through the curtain in time to provide the answer. “There must be some regulatory elements that we have yet to identify and thus replicate in the artificial gene used for the gene therapy.”

Rodney waved a hand at her. ”Yes, yes. That just means Carson’s voodoo spell still needs some work.”

 Another question crossed John’s mind. “Why didn’t those of us with the stronger gene go nuts like the rest?”

Jennifer crossed her arms while she thought about the question. “My guess is that the stronger occurrence of the gene was more resistant, plus I’ve noticed that the stronger carriers also tend to have better self-control and mental defenses.”

Rodney turned back to John. “That program was an insidious piece of programming for someone without the gene.”

John frowned. “If I remember correctly, his lab assistants have the gene.”

Rodney tapped on his tablet some more. “You’re right. That means he’s been testing on them.”

Now it was Jennifer’s turn to frown. “That would explain some of the unusual injuries those two have come in with.” She held up two syringes for John to see. “Here’s the painkiller I promised you and a muscle relaxant. It’s not as strong as what you’ve had the last day or so, but it will dull the headache and back pain. The muscle relaxant will keep the spasms down. Either may make you drowsy, but rest is still the best medicine for injuries like yours.” She quickly inserted the syringes into the IV and injected the contents. “On the good side, your back is only severely bruised – no broken bones and the cast on your wrist should be coming off soon. You’ll still need to wear a brace on it for a while, but you won’t have that clunky cast.”

John gaped at her. “I thought I still had weeks to go.”

Jennifer smiled at her astonished patient. “Normally you would, but Dr. Zelenka replaced the crystals in that bone fuser you identified and Dr. Strauhan used it on your wrist while you were unconscious. We could remove the cast now, but we decided to wait a bit longer to allow the bones to strengthen without any undue stress.”

John smiled at the news. “Thanks, doc.”

“You’re welcome, Colonel.” Jennifer turned to the rest of the group. “You can stay, but he needs his rest so keep the noise down.” With that, she stepped through the door and left.

John started to drift off, but a question that Teyla had asked rose to the surface of his mind. “Rodney, I thought you were gonna wait on me to get to the chair before you installed the third ZPM?”

Rodney grimaced. “I was. I had just turned to tell Radek and Kavanagh to hold off and not install the third ZedPM. Kavanagh says that he thought I said TO install it and pushed it into the cradle before Radek could stop him. He’s currently cataloguing the artifacts in the Danger Room.”

The team talked of recent events, especially things that had happened over the last few days. It was music to John’s ears and he fell asleep to it.

* * *

The next day, while his team was waiting for Jennifer to release him, Woolsey and Sam showed up. When they walked in, John was seated on his bed, dressed in his own comfortable clothes. Scrubs were better than gowns, but still he was much happier now. Befitting his ‘I’m not on duty so don’t bother me’ attitude was his clothes. When Teyla brought them to him, it was evident that she had picked them out. She had brought blue jeans, and a black and white flannel shirt along with a t-shirt that read ‘Shhh…this is my hangover shirt’. The shirt had been a gift from Rodney.

Upon spotting him, Woolsey said, “Ah, Colonel, I’m glad to see that you are awake. Feeling better?”

John started to nod and thought better of it. The pain was manageable right now, no need to aggravate it. “I am. Just waitin’ on the doc to release me.”

Sam came over and clasped his hand after exchanging greetings with the rest of the team. “Good to see you getting better, John.”

John gave her one of his trademark grins. “Thanks, Sam.”

Jennifer came over at that moment, handing a small bag to Teyla. “Okay, Colonel. Here are your meds. The instructions are inside. No physical activity except for walking and eating. You can do some Tai-Chi, but nothing else.”

John carefully slid off the bed. With his team surrounding him, he slowly headed for the doors. Once in the hall, they headed for the transporter, Woolsey and Sam accompanying them. Just before they stepped into the transporter, Woolsey cleared his throat.

“Colonel, if you are not too tired, could I have some of your time?”

John glanced at his team, giving them a slight nod. “Sure. What’s up?”

Woolsey looked around. “Not here. I’ll explain when we reach the conference room. Major Lorne and Dr. Zelenka are meeting us there.”

They all managed to get into the transporter. When the doors closed, Woolsey and Rodney both started trying to press the destination on the pad. John thought the struggle amusing until someone accidently elbowed him in the ribs. The pain stole his breath and left him gasping.

“Enough! Everyone stand still!” Fortunately, John didn’t have to yell once he caught his breath; just raise his voice a little. He reached out and triggered the panel with his mental connection to Atlantis. For a while, he had been able to hit the locations without looking; now he could do it without touching. The transporter flashed, the doors opened and everyone moved out. John and Teyla were the last two to exit.

Teyla looked at the sweat on his face and his slightly hunched posture. “John, are you alright?”

“I’m fine. Just caught an elbow in the ribs.” John straightened slowly. “I’ll feel better once I sit down.”

Teyla ducked under his arm, wrapping her own carefully about his waist.

Moving down the corridor, John looked down at his warrior princess. “When we get to our quarters, think I can get a backrub?”

Teyla looked up at her husband-to-be. “Of course. I would have offered if you had not asked. Also, Jennifer said that it would be beneficial to your healing.”

Everyone else was seated when the pair stepped into the conference room. Concern flitted across their faces as they took in John’s slightly hunched posture. Ronon started to stand but John waved him off while Teyla helped him into his chair.

“You alright, Sheppard?”

Leaning back, John let out a deep sigh of relief as he slouched in the chair. “Yeah, Chewie, thanks. Caught an elbow in the ribs during the shuffle in the transporter.”

Sam looked up, a sheepish expression on her face. “Sorry, John. I think that was me.”

John waved a lazy hand at her. “Don’t worry about it.” Lorne passed him a bottle of water. Taking a drink, John turned his attention to Woolsey. “So, what’s up? Why all the cloak and dagger?”

Woolsey cleared his throat then folded his hands on the table before him. “Before we get started, I received word that the Daedalus is going to be late. There were a few issues that have since been resolved, but it put them almost two weeks behind schedule.”

At Woolsey’s news, Sam cocked an eyebrow. “Oh my, I’m sure Steven’s not happy about that.”

“That is a bit of an understatement from what I understand.” Woolsey straightened his glasses. “We need to decide what to do about Dr. Ferrin.” Turning to John, he continued. “Also, you still have a meeting to conduct with the science department.”

“Well, as far as Ferrin, my ideas all seem to end up with him being delivered to Todd in lieu of a basket of fruit.” John’s nasty little grin was echoed by Ronon and strangely, Rodney.

Lorne held up the pen in his hand. “Why not just claim he went off the deep end and send him back to Earth? We could claim that he attacked you or McKay or even Dr. Z.?”

Radek let a grim smile cross his face. “I would swear to that. That man is worse than Kavanagh.”

Rodney looked up at the group. “It wouldn’t take much to goad him into a fit. I heard he was cursing up a storm after your last visit, Sheppard.”

Lorne grinned. “I heard that too. The Marines on duty said he needs some lessons though. They said he has no rhythm for cursing and needs more practice.”

“That figures.” Rodney snorted. “Other than being a slightly competent programmer, the man is incompetent at everything else. His minions are even worse.”

“Unfortunately, if you send him back to the SGC, even if you claim that he’s mentally unstable, there are a few people there that would take him seriously.” Sam shrugged, her hands going out in a gesture of ‘hey, what can you expect’.

“I have a suggestion.” Ronon’s soft rumble came out of nowhere.

“Go ahead, Ronon, what is it?” Woolsey’s fingers were doing a nervous dance on the table.

“Yeah, Chewie, spit it out.”

“That outpost on M7R-673 is in good repair, right?”

Radek pushed his glasses up his nose. “Yes. ZPM is very low but outpost is habitable.” He suddenly sat up straight. “Ah, I see where you are going! Yes, that is one that Kavanagh wants to study. It also has benefit of space Gate not land Gate.”

Everyone stared at the grinning Satedan and the equally smiling Czech. 

John flicked his gaze from one to the other a few times before a sly grin crossed his face. “We give Kavanagh his study and give him a few research assistants to boss around, including Ferrin.”

Radek actually bounced in his chair. “Yes, yes! And we let all know that Kavanagh is in charge.”

John observed the rest of the gathering for their reactions to the idea. Slowly, smiles cropped up around the table like daisies, albeit rather evil daisies due to the nature of the grins.

Woolsey sat back, rubbing his hands together briskly as if washing them. “Now that that bit of unpleasantness is out of the way, any suggestions on how to handle the scientists?”

“We could always threaten to send them offworld unescorted?” Ronon’s deep bass added extra threat to his statement.

“Nah, can’t do that, Chewie.” John waved a hand in a negative motion. “We like most of the scientists, present company included.”

“Oh thanks, Sheppard.” Rodney’s snark was back. “How many brain cells did you strain to come up with that one?”

“None, mine were too busy so I borrowed some of your extra ones.” John’s grin was his famous quirky one. “You know, the ones that associate to social skills that you don’t have?”

Rodney stuck his chin up. “I…I have plenty of social skills. I just choose not to waste them on barbarians.”

Teyla arched an eyebrow at him. “Oh? So we are all barbarians as well? Is this why you are sometimes overbearing, condescending and rude to us?”

Rodney paled then turned beet red.

John snickered. “She’s got you there, Rodney. Better give up while you’re ahead before she takes that foot you stuck in your mouth and shoves it in to the hip.”

Reactions at the table ran the gamut at John’s sally, from Sam’s grin to Ronon’s bark of laughter with Woolsey adding a barely concealed smile.

In lieu of an answer, seeing as he was outgunned, Rodney picked up his coffee for a long drink while shooting glares over the rim of the cup at the rest of the room’s occupants.

Radek leaned forward to peer at everyone else. “Concerning meeting, I have suggestion.”

John turned his chair a bit to focus on the Czech. “Alright, let’s hear it.”

Radek cleared his throat. “I think you should tell them similar to what you told Marines then prove that you know what they have been doing by assessing their projects.”

John frowned. “What, like a teacher grading papers?”

Radek shook his head. “No, more like what you did with devices in infirmary.”

“Ah. So you think that if I tell them things about their projects then remind them that I am not their lab rat and am not at their beck and call that they will listen?” John sounded rather skeptical about the whole thing.

Sam leaned forward to look at the pair. “He’s right, John. It will work, especially if you tell them about their projects in the context of ‘this is only part of what I can do, so don’t screw with me’.”

John sat quietly for a few minutes, obviously considering their suggestions, a grin slowly spreading across his face. “I like it. Done just right, they’ll never know what hit them.” He looked over at Woolsey. “Are you coming this time too?”

From his position at the head of the table, Woolsey nodded. “I am. Unlike with the military where I am only nominally able to give them orders, I do have more direct influence over the scientists. I also think you need more of an escort this time.”

Looks of astonishment sprouted around the table. It was Teyla that voiced the thought.

“You feel that Ronon and I are insufficient to protect John?”

Sam shook her head. “No, it’s not that at all. It’s that some scientists are very impressed with appearances.” She turned her gaze to John. “If you show up in full uniform with your team plus the leaders of the other Gate teams, it will definitely send a message that will be heard.”

“I hate to say it, but I agree.” Lorne chimed in as well. “No offense to the two of you.” He tactfully added, looking over at Teyla and Ronon.

Rodney cleared his throat, having decided to rejoin the discussion. “Also, you don’t have to reveal things about just the projects. Use your connection and tell them about things in their labs that they may not be aware of. You could even ask random scientists in the crowd for a challenge, you know, like these so-called ‘psychics’ do at shows.”

John made a face and groaned.

Sam sat up straight. “You know, that might work even better. If you do that they can’t accuse you of feeding the database back to them or having previously altered it to make yourself look better.”

John grimaced at the thought. “True. We’ll go with that idea.”

Rodney shot a concerned glance over at John. “The meeting is in two days. Are you going to be okay?”

John nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

Everyone in the room rolled their eyes at his stock answer.

Woolsey glanced around. “If there is nothing else, this meeting is adjourned.” As everyone rose to leave, he cleared his throat again. “I would like all of you back in three days so that we can start planning for the upcoming move to our new planetary home.”

Not wanting to get caught in the press at the door, John stayed in his seat, Ronon and Teyla staying with him.

Catching Radek’s eye, John motioned for him to stay a moment. “Richard, when does the next report go to the SGC?”

Woolsey cocked his head slightly at his Military Commander. “Next week. This week’s went this morning. Why?”

John gave a mischievous grin. “I’d like to send O’Neill a special surprise.”

“Oh?”

John’s grin got bigger. “Yeah. Here’s what I want to do…” Motioning Radek, Teyla and Ronon in close, John detailed the message for the General.

When he was done, even Woolsey was grinning.

Radek was beaming with delight at John’s proposal. “I can easily do. What you ask will be ready on time.”

Ronon shook his head, dreads lightly waving. “Only you, Sheppard.”

John grinned. “Yup, it’s pure me.” 

With that settled Ronon helped John up from his chair and fell in at his back as they headed out.

 


	22. Chapter 22

The day of the meeting arrived. John had spent the intervening time resting and playing with Torren. Once they were married, John planned to formally adopt the boy as his son. He had not discussed it with Teyla yet, but he felt that he knew her well enough to know that she would agree.

After fixing them a simple breakfast of pancakes, sausage and toast, John showered and shaved while Teyla took Torren to Aleeah. Taking Sam’s advice, he put on his uniform, coincidentally the same one he had worn for his session with his troops. Jennifer had cleared him for very light duty the previous afternoon, but no off world trips or flying yet. 

Ronon and Teyla arrived together. Rodney was already at the meeting hall. Grabbing his jacket, John joined the rest of his team as they headed for the meeting. Along the way, they were joined by Lorne, Major Ann Teldy, Major Mark Waters, Lieutenant Stackhouse, Lieutenant Saunders, and the leaders of the rest of Atlantis’ Gate teams. They made quite a sight as they moved through the halls although they made very little sound. Used to moving quietly in order to avoid Wraith and angry villagers, they all kept up the habit even at their home base. 

They slipped in through a side door to the back stage area of the meeting hall just as the last department head was finishing her report. Woolsey hurried over to the military contingent.

“Colonel, you’re right on schedule.”

John nodded. “We tried to be. The roads were pretty clear this morning.”

Woolsey straightened his glasses. “Hmmm. Well, it’s time.”

Radek moved to the front of the stage and announced Woolsey who hurried out onto the stage.

He stepped to the podium and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, I have enjoyed your presentations and look forward to seeing your final results. However, it is not your research that brings me here today. I have come in response to a much more serious situation.” 

Pausing for effect, he continued. “Certain recent events have brought to my attention that there is some animosity between the science and military portions of this expedition. This is very serious because we are all dependent on one another to survive. I freely acknowledge that, without the discoveries made by the scientific community that Atlantis would be a miserable place to be and would possibly have been destroyed. However, I also acknowledge that, without our military contingent, none of us would be here today. We would most likely be dead at the hands of the Wraith and Earth along with us. We all owe our continued survival to the selfless bravery and courage of our soldiers. I would now like to ask Colonel John Sheppard to step forward. He has a few things he wishes to tell you as well.”

John gave a small signal and the team leaders filed out onto the dimly lit stage, followed by Teyla and Ronon with John himself bringing up the rear. The team leaders formed a loose wall across the stage with the lower ranks on the outer edges. Teldy and Waters were the center of the line. Ronon, Teyla, Lorne and John moved across the stage behind the line of team leaders. Ronon passed between Waters and Saunders while Teyla slipped between Teldy and Stackhouse. John entered between Teldy and Waters with Lorne following and stopping between the other two Majors. Once everyone was in place, Atlantis brought the lights up, backlighting the team leaders in a brilliant blue glow while spotlighting John, Teyla and Ronon.

John stopped in the middle of the stage, Teyla and Ronon stopping halfway between him and the team leaders. He let his eyes wander the crowd, making contact with each scientist there. 

“Well, it’s certainly nice to be here.” John kept his tone light, getting a chuckle from the gathered scientists. “McKay keeps telling me that you all know how to party and I’m not disappointed, but on to business.” His tone shifted, voice losing the laughter and gaining a steel edge that reverberated from the walls. “I am here today to talk to you about cooperation and respect. As you all know, ever since Stargate Command was formed and SG-1 made the first trip through a Stargate to Abydos, each Gate recon team has consisted of three military and one scientist, with all members cooperating to ensure the team’s survival. Cooperation between the military and scientists is not only essential for survival in the field, but also here in Atlantis.” 

He took a few steps forward, hands on hips and eyes darkening as his voice grew hard. “Another essential thing I wanted to mention is respect. Mutual respect between all of the members of this expedition is essential for our survival and success both here in our fair city and out in the field. Without a healthy dose of respect for the dangers of the Pegasus Galaxy, we’d all be dead. Without a healthy measure of respect for the dangers that Atlantis holds, we’d probably be dead. Without any respect for the gene carriers in this city, we would all be lab rats somewhere instead of living our lives. Every person in this city deserves to be treated as such. Whenever a person is treated as a possession, it dehumanizes all of us.”

John stepped to the edge, his voice taking on more of an edge, the words echoing from the walls. “This brings me to my point. I have had this talk with my troops and now it’s your turn. I know that most of you respect and cooperate with the military here, but there are a few of you that do not. You see us as sub-human or as lab rats put here solely for your amusement.” He scanned the crowd again, letting his frosty gaze stop on those guilty of that offense. “That will stop.” 

Woolsey stepped forward to stand beside John, “We are in complete agreement. There will be no unauthorized and possibly dangerous testing of artifacts. Requests for the Colonel’s time or that of any other gene carrier must go through proper channels. Testing is to take place in controlled conditions, not in the hallways. Any one that cannot abide by these rules should pack their bags and request transfer.”

Woolsey stepped back slightly, leaving John center stage. “My link with this city has insured our survival many times. Atlantis has helped in many of our battles. However, I am not a lab rat. Recently, some of your number performed unauthorized experiments involving myself and Dr. McKay. This will not be tolerated. I do not work for you. You may not barge into my office or ambush me in the halls and demand that I activate objects for you. Also, don’t think that you can skulk around and hide objects for me to find. I can find you and them anywhere because they talk to me.” Here John smiled and some of the scientists flinched because it was his nasty _‘someone’s gonna get hurt’_ smile. “Since I’m in a good mood, I’ll even prove it.” He scanned the crowd, his eyes alighting on one of the troublemakers. Spotting one, he pointed. “Dr. Stanley, I see that you’re unconvinced.”

Stanley drew himself up to his full height of 5’5”. “I do not believe you. I have never seen this so-called link of yours in action.”

John smirked at the short scientist. “Very well, what would you like to know that would convince you?”

Stanley held up an object from a case near his feet. “Since you claim to have such a strong bond with this city, perhaps you can tell me what this item was used for?”

John flashed a HUD up on the air behind him, causing several of the scientists to gasp in surprise, which showed the object in detail so everyone could see it. “Is this it?”

“Yes, yes. You’ve shown us a picture. Very nice, now what does it do?” Stanley’s voice dripped with sarcasm.

John smirked again. “It’s an Ancient sex toy. When you press the first three buttons on the side in sequence then depress the top, it will generate a hologram of your desired lover. If you depress the fourth, it creates an interactive virtual environment.”

Dr. Stanley scoffed. “I don’t believe you.”

John shrugged. “Hey, I’m just the messenger. The device told me what it does.” 

Deciding to prove the Colonel wrong, Stanley followed the instructions. After he depressed the top, a hologram appeared of Dr. Carol Simpson, wearing a very sheer negligee and nothing else. Stanley quickly released the device, causing the image to shut off.

John scoped the crowd again, this time his roving eye stopped on Dr. Matt James. “Dr. James, just before you came to this meeting, you were working on some new equations that you wanted to show Dr. Zelenka, correct?”

James stood up and tilted his head back, trying to look down his nose at the Colonel. “I was. That doesn’t prove anything though. You could have had one of your grunts peek in my lab.”

John cocked his head slightly. “You locked your door behind you, right?”

James nodded. “I did.”

Without turning, the image of the device on the HUD winked out only to be replaced with an image of a whiteboard; a set of handwritten equations visible upon it. John straightened, staring the scientist in the face. “These are your equations?” John received another nod. “They’re wrong.” 

James went red in the face. “I don’t believe you! Where’s McKay, he must’ve told you!”

Rodney stepped out to stand beside his friend and snorted. “Dream on. I wouldn’t waste my time spying on your inferior equations.” He glanced up at the board. “He’s right. These equations are total crap.”

“I still don’t believe you! That side faces the door!” 

John smirked at the flustered scientist. “Yeah, it faces the door so no one will look at the pictures on the other side.” John tilted his head again. “Personally, the one of Teyla is not flattering, and I can vouch for the fact that several others are fake, especially that one of Elizabeth and Kate. Whoever Photo Shopped them did a lousy job. Shall I put them up for everyone to enjoy?” 

He would have said more, but James scurried from the hall like a mouse avoiding a hawk.

John surveyed the room, dark eyes flashing fire. Behind him, everyone else stepped forward in silent support. “Anyone else need convincing? No? Good. I trust I’ve made my point. Now remember, play nice kids and don’t do anything you’ll regret.”

With that John left the stage, his entourage following. They stayed together until they reached the mess hall, where everyone scattered. Food in hand, John and his team settled at their regular table. They were soon joined by Radek and Sam, who had observed from the shadows. Inevitably, the discussion turned to the meeting and John answered whenever he was asked a question, but truthfully he just wanted to go lay down. His back was still very sore and the muscles were tight with tension.

He was thrilled when Sam finally took pity on him and gently nudged him out. Ronon accompanied him to the couple’s quarters before leaving to workout. Once inside, he took a hot shower before changing into a pair of sweats and an old t-shirt. He took his pills and climbed into bed. He had enough time to get comfy before a wave of drowsiness flowed over him. His eyes closed and he was asleep in seconds.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains mentions from my story “Meeting Minds”. Thanks to Tamed Scoundrel for the idea for part of this chapter.

Teyla silently slipped into their quarters. Torren was spending the night with Aleeah because they had known the planning session would run late. John had stayed for the initial and military portions. When the discussion moved to prepping the science labs, John turned the session over to Lorne and left. It had been a little over a week and she knew his back was still sore; even though the chairs in the conference room were comfortable, he could only sit on them for so long. 

In their quarters, Teyla found John stretched out on the bed fully clothed and sound asleep. The bottle of pain killer that Jennifer had prescribed for him and an empty glass were sitting on the nightstand. Teyla softly asked Atlantis to raise the temperature in the room as she removed her clothes. Once she was down to her bra and panties, she took out a bottle of massage oil from the chest at the foot of the bed. She placed the bottle on the nightstand then started getting John undressed. She removed his boots, unlacing them in order to easily slip them off. She moved to reach under him to unfasten his belt and trousers and found herself looking into a pair of sleepy hazel eyes.

“John, I did not know you were awake.”

He gave her a drowsy smile. “I wasn’t until someone pulled my boots off. Whatcha doin’?”

“Getting you undressed so I may work on your back.”

He smiled. “Oh, okay.”

He raised his hips slightly, making it easy for her to unfasten his belt and pants. She tugged the material down as he shifted enough to make it easier for her. He did the same when she removed his BDU shirt. She left his t-shirt, opting to just push it up. She did the same with his boxers, pulling the snug material down just below the curves of his butt as he shifted a bit to get comfortable.

Climbing onto the bed, Teyla grabbed the bottle of oil and poured some into her hand. She rubbed her hands together to warm the oil before she started working it into John’s back. She felt him gasp and tense when she hit the areas that needed the most work. The bruising was starting to fade around the edges so she worked carefully, kneading softly to work the oil in and loosen the tense muscles, John’s gasps letting her know when she hit the worst spots. Just as she finished with a particularly deep knot Teyla felt John sigh in relief and shift, burrowing his head deeper into the pillow. Once she finished, Teyla ran a soft cloth over his back to soak up any unabsorbed oil. She then straightened his clothes, before pulling the blankets up and tucking them around him.

“Mmmm. Thank you.”

Teyla looked up into John’s face. His hazel eyes were clear and there were fewer pain lines around his eyes and mouth.

She moved to the head of the bed and kissed him deeply.

“You are welcome, John.”

She stepped into the bathroom and cleaned up before moving back to the bed and slipping in beside John. While she was gone he had shifted, rolling onto his back. Teyla took advantage of this and spooned to his left side, her head pillowed on his shoulder, her right hand gently roaming across his chest as they drifted off to sleep.

* * *

A week later, after regular massages by Teyla and some good drugs from Jennifer, John felt almost normal again. Preparations for the move were proceeding on schedule. He caught up on his paperwork in between settling disputes between departments over manpower and spending time with Torren. According to Jennifer and Carson, he was still not allowed to do anything strenuous to give his body a chance to fully recover. He remained on light duty, but they cleared him to fly for short trips. Over lunch, he proposed an idea to Teyla and Ronon for how to get away from temptation. They both immediately agreed. After lunch, he put in a request with Woolsey for two weeks leave time. Between the need for repairs and other preparations, the estimate currently stood at moving the city in three weeks. Once they returned from their vacation, there would still be at least a week to go. Plenty of time to take care of all the last minute details.

Looking up from his own reports, Woolsey cleared his throat. “Are you sure you wish to take this much time off right now?”

John nodded. “I do. I also have the backing of Jennifer and Carson. Plus, there’s an added bonus.”

Woolsey cocked an eyebrow. “Oh?”

John grinned. “I’ll be taking Rodney out of your hair for two weeks.”

Woolsey gave a small smile. “Ah, yes. That would be worth it. Just today I’ve had to calm four of his associates.” He rose, taking John’s hand and shaking it. “Request approved. Enjoy your vacation, Colonel. When are you leaving?”

“Tomorrow, thanks!” John slipped out of Woolsey’s office, already showing some extra bounce in his step. 

John’s next stop was Rodney’s lab. The Canadian had skipped having lunch with the team, instead choosing power bars and terrorizing his minions.

“McKay, pack your bag, we’re going on a trip.”

“Hello to you too, Sheppard.” Rodney glanced over at the lanky pilot lounging in his lab’s doorway. “Don’t you ever knock?”

“I did. You were staring off into space, probably contemplating new insults for your staff.”

Waving a hand, Rodney brushed the comment aside. “Why do I need to pack? I have too much to do here to be going on a mission.”

John shook his head. “Nope, not going on a mission. We’re going on a vacation. Two weeks with no missions, no emergencies, and no technology. Just sun, surf and fresh air.”

“Sounds great.” Rodney was fine until the rest of John’s words sank in. “Wait, what … no technology? No, no, no. I have to have my tablet. I have important projects in the works. I can’t just put them on hold for two weeks!”

John sighed, his voice going firm. “You can and are. We’re going to Timbre. We all need a break. You can bring along a scanner. If I have to, I’ll have Ronon search your bag before we leave. Anything else he finds will stay here.”

Rodney stared at his best friend. Even with the rest he had gotten the last couple of days, John looked like crap. He was still pale and moving a bit stiffly at times, plus he was still a bit sensitive to strong lights and noises. 

Rodney sighed, his shoulders dropping in resignation. “Alright, but this is under protest.”

John smirked. “You can protest all you want, but if you’re more than ten minutes late, I’ll send Ronon to get you.”

 

* * *

They left on time the next morning. Rodney made it to the Jumper Bay with five minutes to spare. Jumper One was already loaded with their gear and supplies. Just before they boarded, John gave Rodney a look. With a sigh, he opened his bag, pulled out a tablet and two Ancient devices that he wanted to study, and handed them to Lorne. Everyone smirked.

“A+ for effort, McKay, but you should’ve known better.” John’s grin was wide, his eyes sparkling. “Any more or do I get Ronon to search?”

“No. Sometimes I hate you and that damn gene.” Rodney grumbled out with ill humor as he stomped up the ramp. “Fine, let’s go.”

Lorne stepped back. “Have a good time, sir. We’ll see you in two weeks.”

John waved over his shoulder as he headed to the cockpit. He spotted Rodney trying to open one of the storage bins.

“Give it up, McKay. It won’t open for you unless there’s an emergency. I brought something to keep you a bit busy though.” John pointed at a large black case in the webbing.

Rodney stood and turned to peer at what John was motioning to. “You brought one of the ZedPMs!”

John nodded, moving past Rodney to take the pilot’s seat. He had already performed his pre-flight checks. Teyla was already aboard, with Torren strapped into a modified car seat. 

“It’s the partial one that you replaced, but it’s better than the one that the outpost currently has. You can play and drool later. We’re going now.” 

Rodney reached for the case, but Ronon grabbed him and pushed him into one of the forward seats.

Rodney started to protest then thought better of it. He was going to be stuck at the outpost for two weeks with the Satedan and didn’t want to get him mad.

“Buckle up, everyone.” John called while he got the jumper moving. He dialed Timbre as he maneuvered the jumper through the hatch. 

“Jumper One, heading out.” John called to control. 

“Roger, Jumper One. Have fun and we’ll see you soon.”

John paused in front of the Gate before pushing the throttle forward to send the jumper through the Gate.

* * *

Back on Atlantis, repairs progressed rapidly. Rodney could get the rest of the scientists to work, but he made many of them nervous with his yells and insults. Radek, on the other hand, inspired them to work, dropping compliments and threats as needed.

On their visit to the repository, Praxis had acquired the repair logs for the entire city, not just the jumpers. Noting that the Stardrive was a priority, she had included the needed parts. Jennings and Radek were ecstatic when they discovered them. 

The Daedalus arrived a few days after John and his team left. The incoming personnel were quickly put to work since the Daedalus was staying until Atlantis reached her new planet. Caldwell was happy to receive one of the ZPMs and assigned Novak to help Sam’s engineers aboard Hammond to build the housing for theirs.

The construction bots had been busy since they returned to Atlantis. Over the previous weeks they had already made a great deal of progress. Jennings had made repairs to the superstructure, especially on the lower levels, a top priority. He discovered that, in addition to being able to change their shapes, the bots could also split to take care of smaller repairs quickly. The individual modules could not go far from each other, but it did make the work progress faster. 

* * *

Their two weeks on Timbre passed quickly. John, Teyla and Torren split their time between John’s island [M3] [A4] and the outpost. John and Teyla had fond memories of the island because it was where they had formed the _shareen_ bond. Torren enjoyed the beach and spent time in the water thanks to John, who had brought along a swim ring for the toddler. It was tethered to either John or Teyla so the boy didn’t get too far. Ronon spent much of his time hunting and practicing his tracking skills but also spent some time with John, Teyla and Torren. Rodney installed the ZedPM and spent as much time as the others would allow exploring the site’s database.

The night before they were due to leave, the team decided to have a barbeque on the beach. John and Ronon cooked while Rodney and Teyla set up seats brought from the outpost and kept an eye on Torren. While they ate, they took turns telling stories from their pasts. 

Rodney told of some of the jokes and pranks that he and Jeannie had pulled as kids. 

Ronon described some of the worlds he had visited as a Runner. 

Teyla regaled them with stories from her youth and some of the stories about the Ancestors that had been handed down through the generations. Ronon added a few more. 

When it came John’s turn to provide entertainment, he told them a few stories from before and after he joined the Air Force. They all enjoyed the tales he told of the pranks that he pulled on some of his fellow trainees. After a few tales, he got up to relieve himself and was gone awhile. When he came back, he had his guitar. He uncased it and made sure the instrument was in tune. Once done, he looked at his family.

“I know you all know that I play, but I realized that none of you have ever heard me play.”

“I have.” Ronon rumbled from his side of the fire. “Came by your quarters one night after you’d had a rough day. Heard you playing, but I couldn’t tell what you were singing. Decided that you probably didn’t want company so I left.”

John was stunned. “You could have come in.”

“Nah. Decided to go for a run instead.”

“Well, you’ll get your chance now.” John started off with _Ring of Fire_ , followed by _Wanted Dead or Alive_ and _The Highwayman_. He also did _Renegade_ and _Castle of Glass_ with some instrumental pieces in between. Torren enjoyed the music, clapping along as it was a new experience to hear John sing and play.

When John took a break, Rodney explained some of the things mentioned in the songs. When John finished his break, Teyla asked him to accompany her in one of the traditional Athosian ballads. She gave him the beat and he did very well.

“We will have to do that at the next festival on New Athos.”

“Teyla! You know I’m not much for being the center of attention.”

“I do not know why it should bother you anymore. My people are not going to think any less of you, nor will they judge you. I know how you were treated as a child, but that is past and it is time you left it where it belongs – in the past.”

John stared at Teyla for a moment then reached up to rub the back of his neck. “Yeah, you’re right.” He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He strummed a few chords on the guitar then peered up at Teyla. “This song is for you. I modified it slightly to fit. I’ve been working on it for a while, but couldn’t seem to find the right time to play it.”

“Well, Sheppard, no time like the present.” Rodney waved his hands in a hurry up gesture. “C’mon, we’re waiting.”

John shot Rodney a glare as he strummed the opening chords of _If You Could Only See_ by Tonic. His voice was well suited to the song, able to convey the emotions as he intended. When he got to the chorus, he remembered to change the words. 

“If you could only see the way she loves me then maybe you would understand … why I feel this way about our love and what I must do. If you could only see how brown her eyes can be when she says … when she says she loves me.”

When he finished, everyone was silent for a moment out of respect.

Teyla broke the silence. “John, that was wonderful! That is a beautiful song. What did you change?”

Rodney answered. “You changed the girl’s eye color, right? It’s blue in the original version, if I remember correctly.”

John nodded. “Yeah. It wouldn’t make much sense to sing a song about a blue-eyed girl to one with brown eyes, now would it?”

“True. Well, on that note, I’m ready for bed. We head back tomorrow so goodnight.”

Rodney headed off to the outpost to sleep. John and Ronon cleaned up and put out the fire. Teyla took Torren to wash up and get ready for bed as well.

A few hours after they all retired, a storm blew in. The outpost was sturdy and the jumper was in the small hangar bay. They all woke briefly to acknowledge the rain then went back to sleep. Morning arrived and the storm was still going strong. Lightning occasionally shot down from the thick clouds overhead.

* * *

John looked at the weather data in the outpost’s control center. The storm raging outside was just the first of a string. It seemed that they had arrived just before the area’s seasonal rains. He knew he could fly in it but it was gonna be a bumpy ride. Ronon and Teyla were at his side, Torren was playing in the corner. Rodney stumbled in and headed for the small microwave to fix some of the instant coffee that they kept there. Carefully grabbing the hot mug, he took a deep drink before moving to join the rest of the team.

Without turning, John called a greeting. “Well, good morning. Nice of you to join us.”

Rodney just spat out an unintelligible grunt. “What’s for breakfast?”

“You can eat if you want to, but I suggest eating light. We are leaving this morning and the flight is gonna be a bit bumpy.” John shot a pointed look at the physicist. “If you throw up you get to clean the jumper.”

Rodney waved a hand to dismiss the thought. “Not going to happen, but a few power bars sounds wise. I can get a better breakfast when we get back to Atlantis.”

Ronon clapped him on the shoulder hard enough to stagger the scientist. “That’s the spirit.”

John clapped his hands as he turned, mentally reaching out to shut the console down behind him. “Alright, let’s get this show on the road.”

They headed out, grabbing their packs from the floor near the door. Everything else had been packed and stowed aboard the jumper the previous evening. Prompted by instinct, once he was onboard the jumper John fished out one of Rodney’s spare tablets and handed it to the physicist. John performed his preflight checks while everyone else got situated. Checks complete, he glanced around, and seeing that everyone was ready, he opened the bay. They were greeted by a wall of water as the door slid down. John eased the controls and the jumper rose, heading out. Passing through the water reminded John of a carwash. Once outside he pushed the throttle forward, sending the jumper into a climb.

Away from the outpost and its sheltering valley, the winds picked up. John tightened his grip on the controls heading away from the planet. The HUD identified the storm as a super cell that reached to the upper atmosphere. Lightning flashed around them while they rose through the clouds. John’s course became a bit erratic as he avoided the bolts, some inner sense warning him when to dodge. Unfortunately, that sense failed him at the last minute when a powerful bolt struck the jumper just before it cleared the upper reaches of the storm. 

 

 


	24. Chapter 24

John tightened his grip further, mental fingers dancing across the command pathways as the jumper shook with the shock. He heard a few things in the back tumble loose. Torren cried out but Teyla quickly calmed him.

John gritted his teeth. “Everyone alright?” Some of the tension flowed from his grip as everyone chimed in that they were okay. “Rodney, what’s our status?”

“Give me a moment!” The Canadian’s fingers were flying across his tablet. “We’ve got some fluctuations in the electrical systems from the discharge. I’m routing the excess to the buffers.”

Even as Rodney spoke, John could feel the jumper’s functions easing. “Huh, guess the Ancients took lightning into account when they built these babies.” He loosened his grip on the controls and reached up to wipe the sweat off his forehead. “We’ll be home in a few minutes.”

When the Gate came into view, John could feel the tension ratchet down aboard the small craft. He didn’t relax until they were safely parked in the jumper bay.

“Thanks for flying the friendly skies of Pegasus with us. Please make sure you have all of your belongings as you exit the puddle jumper.” John stood up and regarded his family with a cocky grin. “Well, I don’t know about the rest of you, but after our checkups, I want a hot shower, food and real coffee. The instant stuff is okay, but nothing beats a good mug of brewed.”

Teyla smiled at her husband to be. “That sounds wonderful, John.”

Torren trundled over and put his hands up to John, asking to be picked up. Once settled in his Daddy’s arms, he hugged John tightly. “That sounds good, Daddy. Can we have pancakes?”

John laughed. “Sure, pal, even if I have to cook ‘em myself.”

* * *

Major General Jack O’Neill prided himself on taking even the most unusual circumstances in stride. Three weeks ago, when a miniature jumper shot through the Stargate just before Atlantis shut down the wormhole after the weekly reports, he hadn’t even blinked. Staff Sergeant Siler picked it up and carried it to the conference room where Jack and General Hank Landry waited. When Siler set the jumper down on the table, the miniature vehicle lit up and started humming. Jack looked it over, searching for a clue as to why it was sent. A hunch told him Sheppard had something to do with it. At his touch, the rear hatch opened and a brightly glowing ZPM slid out with a note attached to it.

Landry looked at the ZPM. “Jack, is that what I think it is?”

Jack looked at the ZPM and dredged up what he knew about them. “Yep, that’s a fully charged ZPM.” He pulled the note off. It was handwritten by Sheppard.

Landry glanced over at the taller General. “What’s it say, Jack?”

“It’s from Sheppard.” Jack looked up at Landry. “It’s an invitation for a visit. He says they’re going to move the city to a new planet in about a month. He thought that I might like to see Atlantis finally make it to her intended destination since I made it possible for them to return in the first place.” He read further. “Oh, and they found a cache of ZPMs. Atlantis has full power now. This one,” and he pointed at the object in question, “is a portion of our share.”

Landry took the note when Jack offered it. “Sheppard doesn’t say exactly how many they found or where.”

Jack shook his head and gave Landry a quirky grin. “No, he doesn’t. I wouldn’t either.”

Landry looked at his friend. “Are you going?”

Jack nodded. “Yep, I’m due for a vacation and I hear Atlantis is lovely this time of year.”

Three weeks later, he was standing on Atlantis’ Gateroom Ops balcony. He had arrived a few days ago and spent many hours touring the city. The simple aesthetics of the Ancient city were relaxing, turning even the simplest rooms into works of art. During his tours, he located a few private spots with spectacular views that he couldn’t wait to share with Sam. Right on schedule the Stargate activated and after the standard check in procedure, Jumper One gated in, Sheppard at the controls. Spotting him on the balcony, Sheppard flipped off a sloppy salute which Jack returned in kind before the jumper smoothly rose to the bay. 

He and Woolsey were still chatting hours later when the Gate activated again.

“Incoming wormhole.” Amelia was on the Gate control panel. “Receiving IDC. It’s Dr. McNally.”

_“Atlantis, this is Jumper Five. We are stranded with a damaged jumper and injuries. We need assistance.”_

Woolsey stepped over to the board. “Jumper Five, this is Atlantis. What is the damage?”

_“We were hit by a lightning bolt_ _. We have power but the controls are out. Captain Miller, Sergeant Kirkwood and Doctor Owens were all injured by storm debris.” McNally remained calm under the pressure._

Jack cut in. “Can you leave the jumper and make it to the gate?”

_“No. Conditions are unsafe for anyone on foot. We need a second jumper and a medical team.”_

* * *

Having left Rodney and Ronon in the mess hall after their check-ups, John, Teyla and Torren were just entering the Gate Room to check on current events before heading to their quarters when they heard the call from the stranded jumper. Quickening their pace, they made it to Ops just as Woolsey started to call for another jumper.

“Hold on a minute. I think I can solve this without risking another jumper.”

John caught Woolsey’s speculative look. The look said that Woolsey had an inkling of what he was about to attempt flowing into his brain. “Are you positive you want to try this, Colonel?”

John rubbed his left hand across the back of his neck. “Not really, but I think it’s worth a shot. If I fail you can still send the jumper.”

John could see Woolsey pondering his words. Coming to a decision, he nodded. “Colonel, you have a go. Is there anything you need?”

John looked around. “Yeah. Clear the Gate Room of all non-essential personnel.” He gave the Director a wry grin. “I don’t know how good my control’s gonna be.”

While Woolsey cleared the room, John turned to Teyla and Torren. “Teyla, I want you to take Torren and go sit in Woolsey’s office. This could be dangerous and I don’t want either of you hurt.”

Teyla shook her head. “I would rather stay at your side.”

John brought a hand up and softly stroked her cheek. “I know you would. That’s why I didn’t try to get you to leave the room altogether.”

John turned from Teyla and knelt to Torren. The toddler had stayed quiet while the adults talked, the words flowing over his head, but the concern catching in his ears. “Hey, pal. I need you to go in Mr. Woolsey’s office and keep your Mom company while I fix the jumper.”

Torren cocked his head at John. “It has booboo?”

John nodded. “Yup, it has a booboo.”

“You kiss it an’ make it better like Mama does me?”

John grinned in spite of the seriousness of the situation at the boy’s words. “Yeah, I’m gonna do just that and that’s why you need to go into Mr. Woolsey’s office.” Remembering what happened to his previous set and not wanting to take the chance again, he reached up and pulled his dog tags from beneath his shirt before lifting them over his head and looping them around Torren’s neck as he gave him a hug. “Here, hang onto these for me.”

“Okay, Daddy, I love you.”

_*”John, are you sure of this?”*_

John looked into a pair of honey brown eyes as he stood up with Torren. _*”Teyla, if there was any other way, I’d do it, but there’s not.”*_ He gave her a warm smile. _*”I’m not gonna say that this is gonna be fun for me, but I’ll be okay.”*_ He reached up and caressed her cheek with his other hand. _*”I love you.”*_

Teyla put her arms around John while he held Torren and touched foreheads with him, sharing a private moment before taking the toddler from his arms and moving to the director’s office.

_*”I love you as well, John.”*_

John looked over at Woolsey and O’Neill. “You two need to find cover as well.”

O’Neill looked at Woolsey and shook his head. “Nope, not gonna happen Sheppard.”

John looked at the two. Woolsey was nervous, but determined to stand his ground. O’Neill had his arms crossed and was showing the same refusal to budge that had infuriated so many Goa’uld. “Alright, but stay back and don’t touch me ‘til this is over.”

Taking a deep breath, John moved to the front of the balcony and placed his right hand on the railing.

_*“Lantis, can we do this?”*_

_*“We can. It will not be easy as you have never done this before, John.”*_

A tiny smile crossed his face. _*“Well, there’s a first time for everything.”*_

John closed his eyes and reached out to Atlantis for the power he would need. She was controlling the flow, making sure that it would not overwhelm him. Power flow secure, John turned his thoughts to the wormhole and the jumper on the other side. Jumper Five was calling out, requesting help from the city. John reached out and calmed the jumper, giving it a mental pat on the head for reassurance. Using mental fingers, he followed the command pathways and found where the damage was. The lightning had damaged the master linkage to the control panel. This meant that to fly the jumper he had to transmit the signals that would normally come from the controls. He did this anyway when flying. The only difference was that he usually had his hands on the controls instead of doing it long distance.

Gripping the rail for support, John reached out with his right hand, fingers moving in sync with his thoughts as he touched the command pathways and started the jumper. Balancing the power flow, John brought propulsion on line and eased the jumper forward and through the Gate. He had to handle the docking as well because the auto pilot that would normally control that was also out of action.

When he felt the connection of the jumper settling on its pad, John withdrew from the jumper’s system. Opening his eyes, John raised his hands to wipe the fine sheen of sweat from his face. He noted the fine tremors in his hands as someone clapped him on the shoulder.

“Great job, Sheppard - we need to talk.”

John heard O’Neill’s comments, but his head started spinning and his knees buckled before he could reply.

Someone cursed in surprise and strong arms caught him, supporting him until he managed to catch his breath and lock his knees. As his arm got draped across a tall man’s shoulders, John spotted his helper’s silver hair and blue Henley and realized that it was O’Neill that had him.

“Sir, this isn’t…”

O’Neill cut him off. “Sheppard, I was not about to stand here and watch you flop on the floor like a fish. Now, I’m going to help you to Woolsey’s office where you will sit down and rest for a few minutes.”

Realizing that there was no arguing with the older man, John took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Yes, sir.”

O’Neill snorted. “And cut that out. We both know I outrank you, but I’m on vacation. And since we’re both members of a pretty exclusive club, you can call me Jack. You’ve saved my butt enough so I’d say you’ve earned the right. Besides, I get enough sirs back home.”

John chuckled. “What does Sam call you?”

Jack glanced at the wobbly Colonel. “She calls me whatever she wants and it’s none of your business. But I do have to say that it’s refreshing to hear my name once in a while.”

John let out a sigh as they moved closer to Woolsey’s office. “I know what you mean. I hear Colonel so much that sometimes I think it is my name.”

 


	25. Chapter 25

Jack helped Sheppard walk across the floor to the same office. Jack took advantage of Sheppard’s daze to ponder what he’d just seen. He’d noticed the look that crossed Woolsey’s face when Sheppard requested that the Gate room be cleared and the worry in Teyla’s eyes. When the blue glow formed around the younger Colonel, Jack had definitely been surprised and, after ten years in the Stargate Program, very few things still had that effect on him.

Without a doubt, Sheppard’s feat had been the best solution to the situation. It also answered several questions that had popped into Jack’s head after reading some of the recent reports from Atlantis. He regularly read the reports from Atlantis’s senior staff and the reports from a mission to P7R-4031 had seemed a bit bland. Sheppard’s mission reports were usually quite entertaining, but that one had been dull and more notable for what it didn’t than what it did say. He suspected that something occurred on that mission that had made Sheppard’s present astounding trick possible. 

Regardless of when it happened, he could understand Sheppard’s reluctance to say anything about it. This kind of interaction with Ancient technology would make him a valuable commodity back home. Sheppard and Woolsey would immediately have recognized the ramifications and his team would have understood the necessity of keeping it under wraps. Heck, probably only a handful of personnel in the city even knew about the change and he’d bet that they were all senior command staff. Jack definitely needed to talk to Sheppard about this.

Teyla passed them just before they reached Woolsey’s office, probably headed to get something for Sheppard. Jack steered his charge towards one of the plush visitor’s chairs. As soon as he plopped into a chair, Sheppard slumped low enough to rest his head on its back. His eyes flickered closed. 

Jack nudged him on the shoulder. “Sheppard, you need to stay awake. You go to sleep now and you’ll probably spend the next three days as Keller’s guest.”

“Done too much of that lately.” Sheppard’s eyes slid open, his deep voice soft but clear. 

“John, you need to drink this.” Teyla had returned with a bottle of Gatorade and some power bars.

She opened the Gatorade and pushed it into Sheppard’s hands, helping him hold it while he drank until his hands steadied.

Jack moved off to one side to give the couple some space. A tug on his pant leg had him look down into a pair of big brown eyes.

“Mama takin’ care of Daddy?” said Torren.

Jack knelt to his questioner’s height.

“Yup, she sure is.” Jack told the little boy the truth.

Torren nodded as he considered this. “Are you friends with Daddy?”

Jack looked up and over at Sheppard and Teyla. They had heard Torren’s question. They gave him small matching smiles and nods of approval. “Yeah, me an’ your mom and dad are all friends.”

Teyla rescued him while Sheppard munched on a power bar and finished the Gatorade, disposing of the refuse when he was done.

“Torren, this is Uncle Jack. John has told you stories about him.”

Torren looked at Jack with those big brown eyes. “You the guy that beat the snake people?”

 “Yeah, that’s me.”

Torren’s eyes got even bigger. “Wow, you tell me story later ‘bout you an’ Teal an’ Daniel an’ Aunt Sam?”

Jack squirmed a bit, wondering what kind of story he could tell a child. “Sure, you betcha.”

* * *

While Torren made friends with Jack, Teyla checked John over. His pulse was still a bit fast but it was leveling out. Watching him massage the bridge of his nose, she surmised that he had a headache, a theory supported by the faint pain lines around his eyes. The way his eyes kept on closing, she knew that he would be asleep soon.

She took his hand and started pulling him upright. “John, you need to get up. You are about to fall asleep and I am sure that Richard would prefer you not do it here. And even though you do not want to, you must go to the infirmary first so that Carson or Jennifer may check you over.” 

John let out a breathy chuckle. “I’d rather not do it here either.” He opened his eyes and, using his other hand, pushed himself upright with a muted groan. “Too noisy.” He headed for the door, his slow steps reasonably steady. “And yeah, you’re right about gettin’ checked out. Let’s go while I’m still upright.”

Teyla looked over at her son and Jack who appeared slightly uncomfortable. “Torren, we are going to the infirmary and I would like for you to lead.”

Torren’s head whipped around. “Okay, Mama. I lead and get us dere okay.”

Teyla stayed on one side, Jack on the other while Torren took point. The technicians smiled at the scene of the three warriors being led by the solemn toddler. Once they were outside the Gate Room, Jack and Teyla stepped up to support John, each taking one of his arms over their shoulders. They made it halfway down the hall when hurried footsteps sounded behind them.

“Hey, wait up!” 

They all recognized the voice and slowed their steps even further to let Sam catch up. Just as she did, John lurched, causing Teyla to let go or else land on the floor.

“Hey, Teyla, John, Jack.” Sam took hold of John’s right arm while Teyla recovered. She glanced over at the wobbly Colonel once Teyla resumed her position. “Looks like you could use some help here. Are you heading to your quarters?”

Teyla nodded her head in greeting. “No, we are headed to the infirmary to have John checked over first. Your assistance is appreciated.”

Sam walked next to Torren while Jack and Teyla supported John. Upon entering the infirmary, Jack and Teyla steered John over to one of the exam beds as Carson bustled over.

“Ach, lad, I figured I’d be seein’ ye soon. I heard about what ye did in the Gate room.” Carson was all business as he checked his patient. “Another migraine, John?”

“Yeah, doc. Not as bad as the previous ones, but bad enough.” John breathed out from where he lay on the exam bed. “Still hurts though.”

Teyla heard Carson chuckle. “Aye lad, I’ll bet it does. I need to get ye under the scanner afore I give you anything though.”

John groaned. “I had a feeling that was coming. Can’t you just give me something and let me sleep it off?”

Carson shook his head, checking John’s vitals. “You know the rules – no checkup, no good drugs.”

“Fine, let’s just get it over with.”

Teyla smiled as John crossed his arms and stuck out his bottom lip. He was so cute when he pouted.

Carson and LJ took John to the big Ancient scanner. The big Marine nurse was very devoted to looking after John whenever he was in the infirmary. Carson scanned the information scrolling across the screen and also kept glancing over at John where he lay on the scanner bed. His eyes were closed, pain lines marring his forehead. The scan completed, Carson checked the results. “Well, no aneurysms or other brain injuries. I’ve been examining your test results since you were struck and I believe that the migraines are your brain’s response to overexertion equivalent to muscle aches.”

John opened his eyes and frowned. “So, you’re saying these migraines are like a strained muscle? That means that the more I use these abilities, the fewer migraines I’ll get?”

Teyla watched as Carson patted John on the shoulder. “That’s exactly what I mean. Just like gradual exercise will strengthen muscles and lessen muscle strains, careful use of these abilities will strengthen the neural pathways. As long as you’re careful and build up gradually, the headaches will decrease and stop unless you overexert yourself.”

“That’s great news.” John smiled in spite of his pain. “Can I go now? I’d like to get some sleep.”

Teyla shared a smile with Sam while Carson headed to the dispensary. He brought back and handed to Teyla a small bottle containing two pills.

“Here, lass. When you get to your quarters, give him these. They’ll quickly take care of that migraine.”

Teyla pocketed the vial. “Thank you, Carson.”

John slid off the bed, Sam and Jack steadying him as his feet hit the floor, supporting him until he could lock his knees. Moving in step, Torren once again in the lead, they headed out into the hall.

* * *

In the transporter, Teyla noticed how much John was drooping in Sam and Jack’s grip as they hurried to their quarters.

Sam and Jack easily maneuvered John through the doorways and got him seated on the bed. Torren climbed onto the bed beside him. Teyla headed to the bathroom to get a glass of water.

Sam started to kneel to remove his boots, but John roused and waved her off.

“I can do that myself.”

Jack cocked an eyebrow at John. “Sure ya can, but can you do it without falling on your face?”

John leaned over to remove his boots and almost did a nosedive off the bed. Jack steadied him with a hand on his shoulder. “Take it easy now.” John closed his eyes and leaned forward, his forearms resting on his thighs, head tilted down to control the lightheadedness he was feeling. “Don’t be so damn stubborn, Sheppard, let other people help you.”

It was Sam’s turn to cock an eyebrow, which she did while shooting a look at the General. “Pot, kettle, mean anything?”

Jack shrugged. “Whatever.”

Teyla returned at that moment. “John, open your eyes. I have your headache pills and some water.”

John sat up straight and opened his eyes with a struggle, propping himself up with his left arm when he started to wobble again. She handed him the pills which he promptly popped in his mouth and washed down with the glass of water. She pulled off his boots and outer shirt, leaving him in his t-shirt and jeans. He lay back on his pillow, wriggling around a bit on the bed to get comfortable. She watched as sleepy hazel eyes took in the pair standing at the foot of the bed.

“Thanks, guys.” He frowned a bit. “How’re Kirkwood, Miller and Owens?”

Teyla smiled, brushing his hair back. “They will be fine.” She leaned over and gently touched her forehead to his before lightly kissing him. “Rest, we are very proud of you.”

Sam touched his leg. “Get some rest, John. We’ll talk later.”

Jack patted him on the leg as well. “Yeah, Sheppard, what they said. It’s not good to argue with a strong woman.”

John looked up at Teyla, a smile gracing his face. “Especially not when she can kick your ass.” He shifted and managed to focus on the couple near his feet. “And it’s John.”

Jack grinned. “Alright John, get some rest or I won’t let you see the new football games I brought.”

“Yessir.”

With the threat made, Sam and Jack slipped from the room.

Torren leaned over and hugged John. “You sleep now, Daddy. Unca Jack gonna tell me story tonight.”

John returned the hug. “Okay, pal.” He yawned. “You be good.”

After another hug, Torren climbed from the bed and went to play.

With everyone else gone from the room, Teyla helped John pull off his jeans, leaving him in just his boxers and t-shirt. As he settled into the mattress, Teyla took a moment to just admire her husband to be. His shirt was snug enough that it showed off his physique quite well. 

_*“Sleep, John. I shall be near.”*_

_*”I know.”*_ Sleepy hazel eyes met hers. _*”Love you”*_

_*I love you too.”*_

After pulling up the blankets, Teyla brushed her fingers through his hair. John’s eyes slid closed, his breathing evening out as he slipped into a deep healing sleep. She lingered at his side, marveling at the strength of the man sleeping beside her. She thought of the day they met and the way his direct gaze had opened a door to her heart. At that moment she had felt a connection. It wasn’t until he rescued her from the Hive ship that she realized he had become her fixed star, the guiding light in her life, protecting her and always leading her home.

Shortly after John fell asleep, the door chimed, announcing Ronon and Rodney’s arrival.

“Teyla, what the hell happened? Why didn’t the techs call me or Radek? We probably could have fixed the jumper!” Rodney’s words rolled out nonstop in irritation.

Teyla rolled her eyes at the scientist. “Rodney, calm down. There was no time to call you. The control board was damaged by a lightning bolt. The area was too dangerous to send a rescue or repair team on foot. A second jumper would have needed to be sent and would have incurred the same possibility of being damaged.  What John did was actually the best solution. It risked no one else.”

Rodney snorted, crossing his arms as he paced the confines of her living room. “No, it only risked him and his damn Kirk hero complex.”

Sam interrupted from the kitchenette. “I don’t know about that, Rodney. From what I understand of the bond he has with the city, I don’t think Atlantis would have assisted or allowed him to do something that was potentially fatal.”

Rodney turned at the voice. “Sam!” And he saw who was behind her. “General.”

Jack waved his hand. “Enough, McKay. It’s done and everyone is alright.”

“How is Sheppard?” said Ronon from his position near the door.

“He is resting. Carson gave him some pills for his headache.”

“Okay, now that the crisis is over, would someone like to tell me what just happened?” Teyla watched as Jack took up station in the middle of the floor, arms crossed over his chest. “I know Sheppard’s an exceptional pilot, but last I checked, flying a jumper from the other side of a wormhole was not one of his skills.”

Teyla settled on the couch before facing the General and beginning the tale. “John was struck by a rogue lightning bolt that traveled through the Gate. It interacted with his gene and has increased his connection to Atlantis. He now has a much greater sensitivity to all things Ancient.”

She could see the thoughts move across Jack’s face. “So what, now the city talks to him?”

Teyla nodded. “Yes, just as you and I do. So do many of the devices left behind by the Ancestors.”

McKay glared at him. “You do realize that we’re telling you this in confidence so it doesn’t end up in a report.”

Teyla saw Jack give him a ‘duh’ look. “Well gee, McKay, I thought I’d just go to the next IOA meeting and spill my guts so that the one person that can keep this powder keg from exploding could get shipped off to Area 51. Give me some credit, will ya?”

“Jack.” Sam warned from the other couch. “They’re just concerned and protective, just like Daniel, Teal’c and I would be of you in this situation.”

Jack ran a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath and then releasing it. “Yeah, you’re right, Sam.”

“I would have told you, but I’ve been taking the Hammond on short hops to check out the planned route for surprises so we don’t run into any asteroid belts if there are any problems.” Sam shrugged an apology.

* * *

Jack paced while Teyla updated Sam, Ronon and McKay on the day’s events. As he listened, Jack let his eyes roam over the décor, noticing the rich colors of a hand-woven blanket thrown over one of the chairs and the groupings of candles scattered through the room, along with carvings and pottery from many different worlds. 

He also glanced over the frames massed on one wall.  Along with some photos, there were John’s commendations: the Air Force Cross and the newest one, the Medal of Honor, awarded for his actions protecting Earth against the Super Hive. He even had the Antarctic Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and several others along with the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon. As Jack looked them over, he realized how many places there were where they had both served and wondered why they never met before Antarctica. He also had his degrees from Stanford displayed. Mixed in with the awards were photos of John taken at his various duty stations, Elizabeth Weir, Teyla, Torren, McKay, Ronon and Ford in various groupings, some candid while others were posed. One picture, displayed in a hand-carved wooden frame, showed John, Teyla, Torren, McKay and Ronon taken just after John’s promotion to full bird Colonel. There were also mementos from many of the planets the team had visited over the last six years. Knowing how private of a person John was, Jack wondered how Teyla had convinced him to display his awards. It took years for Sam to convince him to finally display his.

Something else on the wall caught his eye. It was a plaque with John’s name on it. Below his name was a separate plate with his rank. Attached below that were slots with typed inserts listing the various records that Sheppard held on Atlantis, including fastest infirmary escape (ten minutes), most Hive ships destroyed (five) and most times stunned (too numerous to count). Jack smiled, shaking his head in amusement as he moved away.

After a time, Ronon and Rodney left, promising to return later with dinner. Teyla went to check on Torren, leaving Sam and Jack alone in the central room.

Jack walked over to the balcony and looked out over the snow-shrouded city watching the aurora shimmer and dance. 

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Sam was gazing out at the view as well.

“It is, but not as beautiful as you.” Jack glanced over at the smart, strong, gorgeous and deadly woman at his side. These were qualities that she and Teyla shared, just like he and John shared some qualities as well, such as the Ancient gene, stubbornness, protectiveness and the ability to piss off the bad guys with just a smirk. 

Indeed, he had been struck by their resemblance the first time they met. Looking at then Major John Sheppard had been like looking in a mirror. They were of similar height and build with similar backgrounds in the Air Force, both having served in Special Ops units. During John’s time at the SGC when Helia had kicked them out of Atlantis, he’d overheard several people asking if they were related in some way. He had a feeling they were, but hadn’t had the time to trace the family trees.

Jack snaked his arm around Sam’s waist and glanced around before drawing her into a quick kiss. She returned the kiss fervently and when they parted it was with great reluctance.

“Is John really alright?”

Sam nodded. “He will be. A day or so of rest and he’ll be good as new. He had Atlantis and three ZPMs backing him up this time, unlike the last time there was an incident in the Gate Room.”

Jack grimaced in sympathy. “Yeah, those ZPMs make a difference. It should be interesting to see what kind of results he gets off-world when they find some more outposts.”

Sam nodded after a moment’s thought. “I think it will depend on the condition of the facility. At least, it should make finding out what the facility was used for simpler instead of fumbling around.”

“Speaking of fumbles, what happened to the Marine that dropped the artifact that caused that explosion?”

“After Lorne got done chewing him a new one for not following procedures, Ronon got a hold of him.”

Jack covered his face with his free hand and groaned. “Where’s the body buried?”

Sam shook her head and grinned. “Nope, no body. He used the guy as his ‘teaching assistant’ for a week.”

Jack winced. “Ow.”

Sam nodded. “Ow is right. I heard that the guy had to sleep standing for three days.”

They lapsed into silence, watching the snowfall and enjoying each other’s company. 

 


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This includes an event from my story “Brothers”.

 

Slowly waking, John enjoyed not having to jump out of bed for an emergency. He rolled out of bed and stretched to loosen his tight muscles. After two days of nothing but the small meals that Carson had recommended and naps, he was ready to get back to work. Teyla was already up and had left with Torren to take him to Aleeah, leaving him alone in the suite. He scratched at two days’ growth of beard as he headed for the bathroom. As he passed the dresser, he turned his iPod on and called up the new songs Carson had shared with him by a group called The Red Hot Chili Pipers. While the sounds of bagpipes and bass guitars filled the suite, he picked up his razor and set about repairing his appearance. 

Shaving done, he stepped into the shower, the water coming on at his preferred temperature without touching a single knob. He turned his back to the shower head, letting the hot water massage out the lingering aches while he shampooed his hair and scrubbed his body. To rinse off he stood under the water with his eyes closed. He didn’t hear the bathroom and shower door open. The room was so full of steam that no temperature change alerted him to the presence of someone else until a pair of hands touched his back.

He thought the water off. His fists came up to deck whoever had just snuck into the shower as he spun around to confront his visitor. He stopped himself just in time when he saw Teyla.

Sagging in place, John ran a hand through his wet hair, water flowing in streaks down his body. “God, Teyla, don’t do that!”

“I am sorry, John.” A contrite expression crossed her face. “I did not realize that you did not hear me enter.”

He grabbed a towel, drying his hair as he stepped from the shower. “You surprised me and I almost decked you.”

Teyla smiled. “I would have ducked.”

John just shook his head and growled as he reached for another towel to dry off, but Teyla placed her hands on his chest, holding him in place. At the same time, he noticed she was nude, her luscious body streaked with moisture.

She placed her hands on his chest, stroking his skin through the mat of wet hair. “Am I forgiven?”

John cocked an eyebrow at her, a thoughtful look on his face as he looked her over. “Hmmm, I don’t know. I think you need to be punished.”

Looking up at his face, Teyla countered with a raised brow of her own. “Oh, I do?”

John nodded. “Oh, yes, and I know just the type of punishment to deliver.” He bent down, capturing her face between his hands, flicking his tongue across her lips before her mouth opened and allowed him access. While their tongues danced, his hands slipped down to her waist before moving onwards to cup her buttocks. As her hands slid from his chest to his back, her nails ignited fine trails of desire. His cock grew hard between them. 

Stooping slightly, he picked her up and pressed her back to the wall. Teyla wrapped her legs around his waist, the head of his cock rubbing her center. He held her like that as he gently pulled on her bottom lip with his teeth before trailing kisses down her neck. As she moaned in anticipation, she dug into his back with her nails hard enough to leave marks. His head jerked back in response. His cock throbbed and a groan escaped his lips. On her second pass down his back, he lowered her onto his shaft, her cries switching from moans of anticipation to groans of ecstasy. Soon, cries of passion mingled with the remaining clouds of steam as they joined in the oldest dance of all. Their orgasms hit together, their cries blending into the music still playing throughout the suite . 

As their heart rates lowered, John planted tender kisses on every part of Teyla that he could reach, their bodies still locked together. Knowing they needed to clean up, he backed into the shower while he turned the water on with a thought. The shared shower almost started round two, but John’s stomach grumbled just as things started to heat up again.

He rested his forehead on her hair, cheeks flaming with embarrassment. “Sorry, Teyla.”

Her hands touched his cheeks before sliding through the wet spikes of his hair. 

“You have nothing to be sorry for.” She pulled back, cupping his face in her hands. “You are a generous man, a thoughtful and considerate lover. You have done nothing to apologize for.”

John closed his eyes, relishing the feel of her skin on his. “I know, but we haven’t had much quality time lately and I feel like I’ve been neglecting you.”

Teyla stepped back, a coy smile on her face. “Well, Sam has volunteered to watch Torren tomorrow evening so that we may spend some quality time together. Since you say that you have been neglecting me, I shall have to come up with a suitable way to punish you.”

John groaned. “Keep that up and I’ll need a cold shower.” He arched an eyebrow at her. “You know this is torture, right?”

Teyla shook her head, grabbing a towel to dry off. “No, it is a promise. I shall leave you to dry off and dress.” Wrapping the towel around her, Teyla left the bathroom.

John dried and dressed quickly in his BDU. There were six days left before they moved the city and he had plenty to do. Jennifer had put him back on full duty as of today on the condition that he not engage in anything strenuous. He planned to keep his promise as far as not sparring or jogging, but his day was full otherwise. 

He and Teyla headed to the mess hall. He had pancakes while she had tea and fruit, having already eaten breakfast with Torren. While eating, he glanced around at their fellow diners. He noticed that his troops and most of the scientists were getting along. The few scientists that were acting ugly were on the list to be staff for Kavanagh.

After breakfast, Teyla headed to teach some of her martial arts students while John headed for his office. As he walked down the hall, he checked to make sure that his iPod was in his pocket. He had more new music that he wanted to listen to while working on his reports in between settling disputes.

He was more than halfway through his reports when Rodney waltzed in to his office.

“Sheppard, what is that noise? Are you practicing new forms of torture in here?”

John looked up from his laptop and looked at the iPod display. “It’s a group called Nightwish. They’re from Finland.”

Rodney winced as the singer belted out the chorus of _Bye Bye Beautiful._ “They sound like Christmas cats singing Klingon opera.”

John snorted out a laugh. “This from the person that thinks Celine Dion is Canada’s greatest contribution to music!”

Rodney huffed, crossing his arms as he defended his fellow Canadian. “Well, I think her music is great.”

John shook his head as he looked at his friend. “No, tell the truth. You like her music, but you love the low cut gowns that she performs in.”

Rodney uncrossed his arms, planting his hands on his hips. “So what if I do? I’m male and not dead, so sue me.”

John let out a full throated laugh. “True. So what brings you to my humble abode?”

Rodney crossed his arms again. “Lunch. You’ve been in here since breakfast. You need to get out of this office for a bit, stretch your legs and eat. If you don’t, you won’t be ready for the move.”

John stood, stretching to his full height, arms extended over his head. “This is a switch – you telling me that I need to exercise.” He shut off the iPod, pocketing it as he turned towards Rodney. “Should I call Ronon and Teyla?”

Rodney smirked at him, falling into step as John exited his office. “Already taken care of; they’re meeting us in the mess hall.”

Lunch was a jovial affair. Teyla had Torren with her and Sam, Jack, Radek and Carson joined them. After Teyla left with Torren, John finished his meal, depositing his tray before heading out. A hand on his shoulder stopped him. Glancing back, he realized that it was Jack.

Remembering their last conversation, John dispensed with formality and treated the General like he would any of the city’s inhabitants. “What’s up?”

John saw a brief smile cross Jack’s face before his expression changed. “We need to talk.”

Smile fading, John stared at the older man. “Is this a ‘let’s go to my office’ talk or a ‘we need someplace private’ talk?”

 “If this was Cheyenne, I’d say the former, but your office is too open, so it’s the latter.”

John nodded in acknowledgement. “I know just the place.”

Without waiting for an answer, John headed off through the corridors until he reached a transporter in a more remote area. John told it where to send them. The transporter flashed as soon as the doors closed. Jack gasped when he noticed that John never touched the controls. The doors ahead of them opened, signaling that they had reached their destination.

Stepping out, Jack turned and shot him a speculative glance. “How long have you been able to do that?”

John headed down the corridor in front of them, footfalls telling him Jack was still with him. “Not touch the transporter pad? Almost five years. I used to touch it if anyone else was with me, but everyone here knows I have a strong bond with the city so I quit doing that. Now, if you’re asking about telling it where I want to go before I get there, that’s new.”

John turned down a narrow corridor, walked several yards and then thought open a door. He waved Jack into a small room that contained a spiral staircase, before taking the lead once again as they climbed the stairs. When he reached the top, John once again opened the door and waved the General through. Jack’s smile of pleasure told him that he had read the man right. John stepped in, mentally securing the door behind him. Jack was off to one side standing in front of the main feature of the room – its floor to ceiling windows which provided a magnificent view of a quarter of the city. 

John sprawled on one of the room’s two couches, grabbing a bottle of water from a chest nearby. “I come here when I need to decompress. It’s off the beaten path. Lorne and my team know about it, but no one else. Until now, Teyla’s the only other person that I’ve shared this with. Most of the time, I come alone.”

Jack inclined his head toward John. “I’m honored. I have a cabin in the mountains where I go to unwind. Sometimes I take my team with me, other times it’s me and Sam or just me.”

John bid his time, figuring that Jack would get to the discussion when he was ready. Fortunately, he didn’t have long to wait.

“This enhanced ability of yours is what I want to talk about.” Jack moved to the other couch. “Teyla said that it’s from a rogue lightning bolt.”

John nodded. “Yep, I jumped through the Gate when I felt the ozone charge in the air but the bolt must’ve had my name on it because it followed me through the wormhole. It came through while I was in mid-air in the Gate room, catching me in the back. It traveled through me and grounded in the Gate room floor. I ended up with a super-charged gene, shrapnel in my right leg and side, and first and second degree burns from it. We realized that my connection to Atlantis had grown when I saved McKay, Zelenka and several other people, along with thirty percent of the population from exposure to a toxic gas in a lab they were about to open from the infirmary.”

John caught Jack’s look of disbelief. “You saved them … from the infirmary.”

John nodded, a cocky grin crossing his face. “I did, and Teyla and Keller were present when I did.” John stared out the window. “I asked Teyla where McKay was and suddenly it was like I was in the corridor with him. I could see the entire group clearly. I told them how to neutralize the toxins using information that came from Atlantis herself. After that, my sensitivity started building. McKay and Zelenka tried an impromptu test the next day. I was able to identify and diagnose several artifacts that they’d brought with them, plus some machinery that was being stored in the observation room.”

Jack was silent for a moment as he digested John’s words. “That’s very interesting. It also brings me to the point of this meeting.” The sober expression on his face caused John to sit up straight. “Word of this cannot get out. If the Trust finds out, you’ll never be safe at home again. Also, the IOA can’t know either.”

John waved a hand, relaxing back to his slouch. “I have no desire to be used as a stud, remote light switch or lab rat. I don’t flaunt what I can do and I’m not gonna start now.” He raised an eyebrow at the General. “I know you realized that’s why I had Woolsey clear the Gate room the other day.”

Jack nodded. “Yeah, I did. It was for protection – yours and everyone else’s.” He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. “You just have to be careful.” 

John nodded. “I plan on it. My life is finally going right for a change.”  John rose and moved to the windows. “Y’know, it’s strange that out of all the places I’ve lived or been stationed, it took coming to another galaxy to find a place I can call home.”

Jack joined him; two pilots gazing out at the ice-crusted city. “What’s it like - your bond with the city?”

“It’s amazing.” John’s gaze softened. “Talking to Atlantis is as easy as talking to you. She has a distinct personality with a good sense of humor and she is also very protective.”  He took a drink from the bottle in his hand. “I’ve felt her since the day I stepped through the gate, but it’s only been since the lightning strike that I can actively converse with her, although she told me that it would have happened eventually. While I’ve been recovering, she’s been teaching me how to shield my mind. It seems that I was doing it already, but I’ve gotten better.” He grew silent, his gaze turned inward for a moment. “Lantis says your gene is strong enough that you could feel her if you relax.”

“Really?” Jack sounded a bit surprised. 

“Yeah, and if you lived here long enough, you could probably talk to her almost like I do.”

From the corner of his eye, John saw Jack shake his head. 

“No thanks. I haven’t had good experiences in the past with things that talk inside my head.”

John laughed and Jack joined in. After a moment, the laughter trailed off. 

“So, any other potential enemies after me?”

Jack shook his head. “Nope. But you might want to remind McKay to not mention how certain things get done in his reports. I’ve noticed that he tends to overshare a lot of the time.”

John chuckled. “Yeah, I’ve noticed that too.” He turned towards Jack. “Anything else we need to discuss?”

Jack was silent for a moment. “Nope, I’ve said what I wanted to say.”

“I do have a question for you, though.” A flash of apprehension crossed John’s face. “I would like you to be Second Pilot when I move the city in a few days.”

Jack tilted his head slightly in curiosity. “Why me? Why not Carson or Lorne?”

“It’s a major battle to get Carson to sit in the Chair. He piloted the city to Earth only because I wasn’t available and Lorne’s gene isn’t strong enough. He can fire drones, monitor the auto-pilot and run some of the low level diagnostics, but that’s it. Plus Carson is not a pilot; he doesn’t understand flight mechanics like you and I do.”

“What kind of timeframe are we talking?”

“It’s going to take approximately thirty-six hours to get to our new home, which would be two twelve hour shifts for me and one for you. Carson has agreed to monitor and step in if either of us becomes too exhausted.”

A flash of surprise crossed Jack’s face. “You already asked him?”

John grinned. “I did. He’s rather relieved.”

Jack tossed it around in his head, but he knew it was a foregone conclusion and so did John. “Alright, I’ll do it.”

John’s grin deepened, a spark of mischief appearing in his eyes. “Great. Feel up to a trip to the obstacle course?”

Jack tilted his chin down and looked at the younger Colonel. “I thought you were supposed to be taking it easy?”

John smiled as he motioned the older General to take the lead. “I am; doesn’t mean that I can’t show up and watch my troops run it.”

Jack smiled back. “Now you’re talking. Let’s see how inspired the sergeants get by our presence.”

Sporting matching grins, the pair headed off to torture John’s troops.


	27. Chapter 27

John was in the middle of a beautiful dream when he was abruptly awakened. 

_*“My son, there is trouble.”*_ He was instantly awake. Those words worked better than ice water.

_*“What’s wrong, Lantis?”*_

_*“My long range sensors have detected a swarm of meteors. They are on trajectory to begin impacting this location in approximately eight hours.”*_ Along with the description, she sent him the image from the sensors.

He shook Teyla awake before jumping out of bed to head for the bathroom. 

“John, what is wrong?”

“Lantis woke me. There’s a big meteor swarm headed this way.”

“Would not the shield protect us?” He could hear the frown in her voice. 

_*“It would, but by my calculations, the meteor storm will last for four days. Impacts on the surface will deposit large quantities of debris into the atmosphere. The debris plus the falling meteors will render takeoff extremely hazardous even with the shield. It will also pose a hazard to the other vessels.”*_

John started stripping as he left the bathroom. He dressed quickly. “Lantis says the shield will protect us, but it would make moving the city dangerous. We need to go in the next few hours.”

John had just put his radio in his ear when it went off. “Sheppard.”

_“Colonel, sorry to wake you, but the long-range...”_

John interrupted. “I know about the meteors. I’m on my way.” Covering the mike, he turned to Teyla. “Are you going to take Torren to Aleeah or bring him with us?”

“I shall bring him with us. There is an extra playpen in the storage closet next to the conference room.”

John rubbed his neck with his other hand. “I forgot about that one. Okay, you get him while I finish getting ready.” Uncovering the mike, he returned his attention to Liang while he fastened his holster. “Liang, have McKay, Zelenka, O’Neill, Carter, Caldwell, Keller and Beckett been notified?”

The Chinese Gate tech replied after only a moment. _“They have. Colonel Carter and General O’Neill are here with Mr. Woolsey. Colonel Caldwell is still aboard Daedalus and is connected via video link. Doctors Beckett, McKay and Zelenka are on their way. Doctor Keller is readying the infirmary.”_

John nodded even though Liang couldn’t see him. “Good. Teyla and I will be there shortly. When you call the mess hall for refreshments, let them know Torren is with us.”

“Will do.”

“Thanks, Sheppard out.” He stepped into the hall. “Teyla?”

“Here, John.” She had her arms full with a sleepy Torren and a pack of his things. He took Torren, cradling the toddler on his shoulder as they headed out. Tapping his radio, he continued organizing their mobilization. “Sheppard to Lorne.”

After a moment a sleepy voice answered him. “Lorne here.”

“We have a situation. There is a meteor storm headed this way. Get the troops up and ready.”

“Yessir. Lorne out.”

Ronon joined them as they exited the transporter.

John glanced over at him as they entered the corridor. “I didn’t expect to see you.”

Ronon shrugged, falling into step with John and Teyla. “I was coming back from Amelia’s, saw Carter and O’Neill head for the Control Room so figuring something was going on I  decided to meet you.”

“Yeah, something’s going on – we have a crapload of meteors headed this way. Lantis recommends we leave before it gets here, and from the image she showed me, I support that option.”

When they arrived at the Conference Room, Ronon grabbed the playpen from the storage closet. Teyla gently took Torren from John and placed the sleeping toddler in it.

“Ah, Colonel, right on time. We were just discussing options.” Woolsey pushed his glasses up as he greeted John.

John took his seat. Rodney slid a cup of coffee to him. With a nod, he picked up the steaming mug and took a few sips, grateful for the caffeine boost to overcome his sleep deficit.

“Lantis showed me the image from the sensors. Her recommendation is that we leave in the next few hours and I concur.”

Woolsey looked skeptical. “I thought the shields could handle this kind of impact.”

Rodney replied before John could. “They can. The problem is with the debris that would be kicked up by the impacts. That much material could also affect the planet’s magnetic field. We also run the risk of the city’s systems sustaining damage from the charged particles.”

 “The Daedalus and the Hammond are also at risk,” Sam said.

John looked up at the view screen where Caldwell’s image shared space with the sensor return. “Colonel Caldwell, you’ll be under our shields and better protected if you land the Daedalus on the West Pier.”

Caldwell nodded. “Thank you, Colonel Sheppard.”

“As a precaution, Lorne and I have ordered everyone to move to the main tower. Right now there are teams sweeping the rooms and assisting everyone to the tower.” His brow furrowed in memory. “We don’t want a repeat of the first time.”

Around the table, heads bowed as they remembered the tragedies of that first, frantic flight to escape the Replicator’s satellite weapon.

Woolsey turned to the three doctors, and made the next inquiries.

“Dr. McKay, are the labs ready?”

“Yes, yes. The last experiments were shut down yesterday. All the equipment is secured.”

“Dr. Zelenka, how are the repairs?”

Radek pushed his glasses up. “Repairs to the Star Drive were completed two weeks ago. Repairs to superstructure are still ongoing, but outer hull repairs are complete.”

They were interrupted by the mess hall staff bringing in food. They had hot breakfast dishes, pastries, fruit and some wrapped foods for later. Everyone filled their plates. Once they were all reseated, the discussion resumed.

John relaxed a bit in his chair as he ate. It looked like this was going to go smoothly, but he lightly knocked on the underside of Woolsey’s big mahogany table for insurance. 

Woolsey turned to Carson. “Dr. Beckett?”

Carson straightened in his chair. “The infirmary is ready, Director and Doctor Robinson has been notified an’ has assured me she’ll be ready.”

“Colonel, when can we be ready to lift-off?”

John turned to Woolsey, glancing at his watch. It was 0300. “Let’s set lift off for 0430. That gives us time to finish eating and get ready.

Woolsey stood, heading for the doors. “Excellent. I shall announce it to the city.”

Once everyone finished, people headed off to their respective position. Soon, just John, Teyla and Ronon were left with Torren still asleep in the corner.

Facing her betrothed, Teyla took a deep breath. “John, I would like to accompany you.”

John turned his chair. “Why? It’s gonna be boring just watching me sit in the Chair.”

She shook her head. “It does not matter how boring it may be. We are partners. It does not matter what you are doing, my place is beside you, supporting you in any way I am able.”

John leaned towards her, their foreheads touching. _*“I worry about you and Torren and don’t want either of you hurt.”*_

 _*“John, the Chair Room is the safest place in the_ _city.”*_ Teyla pulled away slightly, reaching up to cup his face with both hands. “Torren and I shall be fine. We will be with you and that is all that matters.”

John sighed. “Okay, you win, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He reached up and scrubbed a hand through his hair as a small smile appeared. “I had a feeling you’d say that, so I put some things in my old quarters for us, including a bigger bed.”

Teyla just smiled at him.

Moving to the corner, John gently lifted Torren from its depths while Teyla grabbed the pack; Ronon collapsing the playpen as John waited. With everyone ready to go, they headed for the nearest transporter and the Chair Room.

Entering the transporter, John shifted Torren slightly on his shoulder. “Y’know, Rodney’s gonna go ballistic about this.”

Ronon snorted. “Let him.”

Teyla nodded. “I agree. I am not going to be separated from you or our son just to please him. He shall have to cope with it.”

Exiting the transporter, John slowed to let Ronon get a bit ahead then turned to Teyla, a glimmer of hope shining in his eyes. “Did you mean that when you called Torren our son?”

Teyla smiled. “I did. You are the person he sees as his father, so that makes him your son as much as mine.”

John stopped and Teyla stopped with him. Leaning down, he brought his lips to hers in a gentle kiss, his free hand slipping to cradle the back of her head. “Thank you.”

“John, I have something I wish to tell you.” 

He turned, his head slightly tilted in curiosity.

Teyla slipped her left hand into her pocket, determined to proceed. “Do you remember, years ago, when you found my necklace and replaced it around my neck?”

John nodded. “I do, and I remember that electric tingle that flowed through my fingers when I touched your skin.”

“It is in remembrance of that that I obtained something from you. I know that, among the people of Earth, that the man gives the woman a token when they become engaged. Among the Athosians, however, both parties exchange tokens.” She withdrew her hand, a small pouch in her fingers. Tugging the strings open, she shook a leather cord out. Untangling the strings, she held the object up.

John looked at it, cupping the pendant in his hand. It was a stone ring, carved from a piece of blue-black stone. The surface of the stone was carved with intertwined vines.

“Teyla, I … it’s beautiful. How … ?”

She reached up and fastened it around his neck. “When I told them of our engagement and showed them my ring, Jinto brought this out and gave it to me. He and Halling agreed that it symbolized our union quite well.”

John looked down at her, love in his eyes. “I love it, thank you. And thank Jinto and Halling as well.”

Teyla smiled up at him. “I already thanked them, but I shall do so again.”

* * *

In the Chair Room, John noticed that someone had improved the Chair. It now sported a set of memory foam cushions. Someone had also brought a cooler and a box of sandwiches and snacks. Ronon had the playpen ready so John lowered the still sleeping toddler into it and covered him with a blanket. Teyla dropped Torren’s bag and went to retrieve a folding cot that Rodney kept stored nearby.

Without turning from the screens before him, Rodney yelled, “It’s about time you got here! Did you stop to call your fan club? We leave in an hour and you know I can’t do the pre-flight checks.”

John shook his head as he settled in the chair. The cushions were a nice touch. “No, I finished my breakfast.” He shifted minutely. “Besides, the checklist only takes thirty minutes when you let me do it properly.”

 “I can’t help it if I keep finding things that I think should be checked!”

John smiled serenely at Rodney. “You’re like that lieutenant from McHale’s Navy – y’ know, the one that’s easily distracted by shiny things? All I have to do is show you a new Ancient toy and you’re lost for hours.”

Closing his eyes, John activated the Chair. As the Chair shifted, the cushions moved with him. A feeling of peace and serenity flowed over him as he connected with Atlantis.

_*“Welcome, my son. Are you ready?”*_

_*“Ready. Let’s get this party started.”*_

With Atlantis’ assistance, John completed the long pre-flight checklist while Rodney monitored with markedly few complaints. Then, he sent a sub-sonic wave through the city to break the ice off. While beautiful, it was mighty heavy. The technicians in the Control Room had kept ice from forming along the water line, but there had been some build-up on the structures above surface. After the ice was gone, he raised the shields and initiated the inertial dampeners while the Star Drive warmed up.

John mentally prepared himself for the journey ahead. Being immersed in Atlantis’s system was like nothing else. Everything in the city lay at his fingertips, literally only a thought away. Allowing his focus to drift, he could see every inch of the city through the internal sensors and feel where each of her inhabitants was at that moment. A discordant note brushing his mind pulled his focus to his office in time to see Lorne, with Corporals Rodriguez and Brenner escort a scientist towards the brig. Brenner was carrying a duffel bag that was the source of the discord.

John shunted the feed to one of Rodney’s computers. He felt Rodney’s ire flare up, bright and hot, when he realized what he was seeing. He knew Rodney would take care of it, but he did set the security system to record the ensuing conversation so he could enjoy it later.

Further expanding his focus, John felt the potency of the ZPMs in their housing, the strength of the shield and the weight of the two battlecruisers currently adorning the East and West Piers. As he checked the ships, one of the city’s previously unused systems came online. The new system controlled a localized docking field, similar to the city shield, used to ensure that ships did not shift during bad weather or flight.

Satisfied that everything was secure, John further opened his mind to Atlantis. The area around him faded into the background as his awareness swept outwards. In his mind’s eye he could see the magnetic fields of the ice planet as they fluctuated in resonance with the approaching meteor storm. Watching the flux of the fields, he carefully pushed the throttle forward on the city’s engines. He felt the pings as the last of the ice fell away from the city’s hull. Using every trick he had picked up during a lifetime of skiing, surfing and flying, John used the gravity waves to help lift the Ancient city. 

John released a deep breath as Atlantis cleared the outer reaches of the atmosphere. He distantly heard Rodney congratulate him on a smooth take-off. John focused on moving away from Hoth. The name had officially stuck and everyone agreed that it was definitely appropriate. Once away from the ice planet’s gravity well, he moved the majestic city through the system until they were far enough away to open the hyperspace window. Reaching out, he engaged the hyperdrive and Atlantis shot inside the tunnel, on course for her new home.

 

 


	28. Chapter 28

Jack O’Neill was nervous. He didn’t exactly have fond feelings for most Ancient technology and he secretly found Atlantis a bit intimidating. After they had been in hyperspace for a few hours, he had popped into the Chair Room to check on John. Nodding to Ronon and Teyla, he was amazed that John was able to concentrate on flying the city with McKay fussing in the background. Seeing the peaceful expression on John’s face made him realize just how attuned the younger man really was to the city he called home. He returned to his quarters and stared out the window for a time, oddly soothed by the sight of the stars streaking by.

He slept for a while, woke up refreshed and showered, ready to take over. His palms were sweating a little while he waited for John to surface from the interface. He had allowed his mind to wander, watching Teyla playing with her son and John’s movements startled him from his reverie. John slowly opened his eyes, blinking a few times to adjust to the light. The Chair shifted to its upright position. John stood up and stretched, muscles stiff from sitting for so long. Even though John no longer sat in the Chair, the light did not go out. 

“O’Neill,” John said. “Are you ready?”

“Yeah, as much as I ever will be, Sheppard.”

John smiled and motioned for Jack to sit. “I’ll maintain control until you get settled, then I’ll hand it off to you.”

Jack settled into the Chair. He noticed the memory foam cushions and wondered why no one ever thought to put any on Earth’s Chair. Leaning back, he closed his eyes and reached for the connection, but it hovered just out of reach.

“Relax.” John spoke softly, voice pitched for Jack’s ears alone. “Flying Atlantis is like riding a horse. You have to be gentle or it will fight back and throw you off.”

Jack cracked one eye open to glare at John. “I’ve never ridden a horse.”

John chuckled. “Okay, but you’ve flown plenty of fighter planes. It’s the same idea; just the city is a lot bigger. Now, what do you think about when flying?”

Jack thought for a moment. “Fishing under a clear blue sky.”

“Great. Now, imagine that the interface is a big fish that you just caught. You don’t want to lose it so you reel it in gently.”

Following John’s advice, Jack relaxed enough to connect to the city. As he did so, he caught a sense of amusement from the city.

“Good,” John said. “Now, focus on the hyperdrive systems. Feel how smoothly they’re running.” 

Jack did so, and was amazed at the sheer power at his fingertips. 

“Are you comfortable?” asked John.

Jack heard the unspoken part of John’s question – _Are you ready?_ Instead of answering, Jack nodded. Immediately, a rush of power flooded into his mind as John turned over full control. It was like whitewater rafting on the Colorado River. Clinging to that thought, he simply rode the flood instead of trying to fight it. After a few heartbeats, the flow steadied and he managed to guide it instead of merely riding it.

Immersed in the interface, Jack didn’t notice John and his family leave the Chair Room.

* * *

As soon as they left the Chair Room, John slipped on his Aviators. Even though the corridors were at their normal daytime brightness, they felt extremely bright to his tired, bloodshot eyes after spending over twelve hours in the dimness of the Chair Room. He headed for the mess hall with Teyla and Torren. Ronon went off for a run, saying he’d eat later. After being in the Chair all day with only two turkey sandwiches to eat, John was starving. He filled a tray and settled at their usual table with his family. Torren was full of questions about the new planet and John and Teyla took turns answering them so they could both eat. After depositing their trays, John headed for his old quarters while Teyla took Torren off to play. After a hot shower, he slipped into sweatpants and a t-shirt. He pulled the curtains closed and mentally turned the door chime off. His radio was on the nightstand where he had placed it when he came in. Exhaustion creeping up on him, he crawled into bed, thought the lights out and closed his eyes. He was asleep by the time his head hit the pillow.

* * *

John woke briefly when Teyla crawled into bed with him, but he was warm and relaxedand quickly drifted off again. When the pulse alarm in his watch went off at 0300, he reluctantly rolled out of bed, showered, dressed and headed for the mess hall.

When he arrived, the cooks had coffee and breakfast waiting for him. Sam strolled in about the time he was halfway done. 

“Hey, didn’t expect you to be here.” John sipped his coffee. “Figured you’d be on the Hammond.”

Sam set her coffee down. “Coffee’s better here and I’m not on duty right now.”

John looked up from his meal struck by the tone of worry in her voice. “Alright, what’s wrong?”

Sam grimaced. “Am I that obvious?”

John smiled a little. “Only to someone that knows you.” He took a bite of toast, chewing while he thought. “You’re worried about Jack.”

Sam ducked her head. “Yeah, just a little.”

John quirked an eyebrow at her, his grin deepening slightly. “Relax, he’s fine. He had a bit of trouble connecting at first, but I helped him with that.”

Sam relaxed. “That’s good. You know his track record with Ancient technology.”

It was John’s turn to grimace. “Yeah, I’ve read the Mission Reports.” He took another bite of toast. “Why don’t you come with me? You can collect him, make sure he’s alright and that he gets to his quarters.”

Sam smiled. “Alright. Thanks, John.”

John ducked his head. “No problem.”

* * *

In the Chair Room, Jack O’Neill contemplated the nature of hyperspace. It was pretty, but it was boring and, after almost twelve hours, he was ready for a different view. He could see why John liked Atlantis so much. The AI was friendly and helpful. She didn’t try to suck his brain out or download her entire database into his skull.

 The first time he had wondered about the time, a clock appeared in one corner of his HUD. Because visualization of a HUD had helped him the first time he flew a Jumper, he had rightly figured that it would work this time too, even though the city was much more complicated. 

He was flipping through the different filters available for image analysis when a presence intruded. At first he thought it was the AI or an unfriendly visitor, but when he queried the city, she flashed up a scene of one of the approaches to the Chair Room. The presence belonged to John. While still connected to the city, he absently wondered how he appeared to the city. The image on the HUD wavered. It still showed John and Sam, but, while Sam’s figure remained unchanged, John’s glowed with a clear blue light. In the image, the pair walked past one of the sentry posts. He noticed the same effect around one of the Marines on duty but it was much weaker. This was interesting. He’d have to mention this to John or Carson, so they could see if there was a way to use this effect in order to find gene carriers.

Distantly, he heard McKay greeting Sheppard, the ritual insults flying between the two. When he heard McKay ask Sheppard to do a system check once he was in control, Jack was glad that he had asked Sheppard and not him because while he could do it with Atlantis’ help, there were many unfamiliar nuances to the city systems. 

Suddenly, John’s presence edged into the link and the Chair shifted. Opening his eyes, he looked into John’s face, his hazel eyes danced with a spark of mischief. “’Bout time you got here, Sheppard.”

John straightened, stepping back just a bit. “I’m actually early, Sir.”

Jack stood and stretched. “I know, but I’m allowed to razz you. It’s one of the perks of command.”

“Jack. Play nice.” Sam chided the General from her spot near the door. “Remember, you’re on vacation.”

Jack shot a glance over at Sam. “Spoil sport.” 

John chuckled softly to himself as he settled in the Chair. The glow brightened measurably as he slipped into the link with the city. Before he slid too deep, he cracked his eyes open. “Any problems, Sir?”

Jack faced the pilot, thinking hard for a moment. “For about the last hour, it felt like there was a strain on the system. Kinda like driving up a steep hill with the air conditioner on in a car.”

“Hmmm.” John closed his eyes. After several minutes, he had an answer, his voice soft. “Rodney, there’s an unauthorized experiment running in the labs. It’s not draining the ZPMs, but it is a stress that we don’t need.”

“Dammit! I told those incompetents that there would be no experiments running while we were in flight!” Rodney was irate. “Which idiot’s lab is it?”

John checked the registry. “Dr. James’.”

“Can you shut it down from here?”

John checked. “Yeah. The way he’s tapped in to the power grid, he’s lucky it hasn’t blown up in his face.”

“Do it.” Rodney requested.

“John, who’s Officer on Duty this morning?” Sam called from the doorway. She and Jack had decided to stick around to find out what was going on.

John was silent for a few minutes before answering. “Major Teldy is OD this morning.”

Jack tapped his radio, going to the military frequency. “O’Neill to Major Teldy.”

 _“Sir?”_ Teldy’s voice came through clearly.

“We have an unauthorized experiment running in,” Jack paused, looking at Rodney, his hand covering the mike, “McKay?”

Rodney looked up, startled that O’Neill had called his name. “Lab D6, Dr. Matt James.”

Jack returned to Teldy. “Lab D6, Dr. James.”

Teldy let out a soft curse. _“I’ll take a squad there immediately. What do you want me to do with the doctor?”_

Jack didn’t even have to think about a reply. “Toss him in one of the holding cells. I understand it’s getting quite cozy down there.”

Teldy barked out a laugh. _“Yessir. He can keep Ferrin and Stanley company.”_

“Let us know when you get there so Colonel Sheppard can shut him down.” Jack ordered.

_“Will do, Sir. Teldy out.”_

A frown crossed Sam’s face. “Isn’t that a bit extreme?”

Jack opened his mouth, but McKay beat him with an answer. “No, it’s not. The experiment in question involved an ore with volatile properties. One wrong move and he could have caused a lot of damage. He was informed that the experiment could not be run in the city and especially not while we are in flight.”

John cut the connection when Teldy called back. He had recorded the entire event and shunted a copy of the recording to his secure files. With the drama over, he started to sink deeper into communion with Atlantis, settling in to finish the trip. With their current speed, they would drop out of hyperspace in about ten hours. Once there, he planned to match the city clock with the planet’s rotation before he set down in order to make the time adjustment easier.

Jack looked at John as the young Colonel settled deeper into the chair’s embrace. “Y’know, Sheppard, this city of yours is nice. It’s the first piece of Ancient tech that hasn’t caused me pain.”

John frowned slightly as he rose to the surface. “Pain? From what?”

“From the Chair.” Jack replied. “Every time I sat in the Chair in Antarctica, I got shooting pains up my wrists and ended up with a headache.”

“Hmmm, that’s interesting. The Chairs have always welcomed me.” A furrow creased John’s forehead. “Sitting in one kinda reminds me of stretching out on a lounge chair at the beach on a warm day.”

From the monitoring station, McKay chimed in. “So the two of you get different reactions from the Chair? That’s fascinating! I wonder if that would hold true for other pieces that require more than a basic interaction. We could set up tests and…”

Whatever else Rodney was going to say was drowned out by three simultaneous cries of “No!”

Rodney sniffed, “Well, you don’t have to be so negative about it. We have so little information about the differences between carriers and…”

“No, Rodney.” John firmly cut him off. “I already play light switch for you on a regular basis. That kind of thinking leads to lab rat status, remember?”

Rodney’s expression drooped. “You’re right. I just can’t help it. I’m like a dog with a good steak in his jaws. I see a question and I just want to answer it.”

In the Chair, already in the early level of communion, John smiled. “Yeah, but just like a good hound, you’re also faithful.” John closed his eyes and sank deeper into the systems. 

Rodney returned to his monitors and Jack and Sam headed off, arm in arm to share breakfast and some quality time.

 


	29. Chapter 29

The exit from hyperspace went smoothly. It turned out to be fortuitous that their departure from Hoth had been earlier than planned. There was just a short lag time to match the planet’s rotation. According to the charts, Lantana was just entering spring which meant that its seasonal calendar would match up with theirs.

Atlantis slowly descended through the atmosphere at a shallow angle, the excess heat causing the shield to glow. They had decided to land near Lantana’s temperate zone. John used the full thrust of the city’s powerful engines to slow their descent before throttling back as the shield’s leading edge kissed the water. John continued to reduce power to the city’s mighty engines, a huge bow wave rising before them, pushed up by the shield as Atlantis skimmed the water, slowly settling into her new ocean, the wave dispersing away from the shield. John ran a quick check before surfacing from the gestalt. 

Accessing the intercom system, John took a deep breath before announcing their arrival. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for flying Atlantis Air. We hope you enjoyed the flight and will have a nice time on our new planet.” After the Chair locked into its upright position, John stood, raising his arms over his head to stretch.

Rodney turned from his post at the consoles. “Um … I just … um … good landing, John.” He turned back to his screens. “Can you be back here in an hour to run the full diagnostic?”

“No.”

“That’s great … no?” Rodney turned again, surprise written across his face. “What do you mean ‘no’?”

John twisted slightly, hearing his back pop. “Just that. No.”

“But…”

John turned to face Rodney, his tone apologetic. “Rodney, I’m tired. I’ve spent more than twenty-four of the last thirty-six hours in the Chair. I’m off duty for the next forty-eight hours. I’m going to grab a meal, take a shower and crash then spend some time with my family. If it can’t wait until then, get Lorne, Carson or O’Neill to run it. Otherwise, we’ll do it in two days.” Without giving Rodney another chance to argue, he left.

Just as he neared his old quarters, he felt a mental touch.

_*“John?”*_

_*” Yes, Teyla.”*_

_*“Come to our quarters. I have a meal for you then you may shower and rest.”*_

Turning, he headed for the nearest transporter. _*”I’m on my way. Thanks, sweetie.”*_

John felt a burst of shock flow through their link. Thinking over what he said, he realized that he may have overstepped. _*”Um, Teyla? Is everything alright? If you don’t like it, I won’t call you that anymore.”*_

A burst of love flowed into his core as he entered the transporter. _*”No, John. It is fine. You may call me ‘sweetie’ as often as you like.”*_

A soft ocean breeze welcomed John as he exited the transporter. Drawing near their quarters, he noticed the door was open, allowing a fresh breeze to flow through. “Teyla?” John called as he stepped through the doorway.

Teyla stepped in from the balcony and met him near the couch. She placed her hands on the strong column of his neck, her thumbs resting in front of his ears and gently pulled his head down. They shared the traditional Athosian greeting and then his hands slid up to cup her head as they moved into a deep, passionate kiss. When they came up for air, John wrapped his arms around her. 

“Mmmm, this feels nice” he murmured, his cheek resting on her hair.

“It does. I am always happy when we get to share in each other’s embrace.” Teyla replied serenely. “Especially since we do not get to do it often.”

“True.” John sighed. “I think I made Rodney mad.”

Teyla leaned back to look at her husband. Even though they were not married yet, it felt as though they were so that is how she thought of him. “What happened? You did not hit him, did you?”

John shook his head slightly. “No, although from the look on his face, you’d have thought I did. No, I told him ‘no’.”

Teyla tilted her head slightly. “What did you refuse to do for him?”

John sat on the arm of the couch and tilted his head up just a bit. “He wanted me to come back in an hour so we could run diagnostics on the city and I told him no.” He sighed. “Am I being unreasonable for telling him to get one of the others?”

Teyla shook her head. “No, John, you are not. You are not the only capable person in the city, and if something were wrong, Atlantis would let you know. Now come,” she grabbed his hand and tugged him towards their balcony. “You need to eat and rest. Torren is staying with Aleeah tonight and he is looking forward to going to the beach tomorrow.  You will need your rest to keep up with him.”

Stepping onto the balcony, John got to really appreciate the view. He hadn’t been out here since they moved in. There was an air mattress and a covered basket to one side. A pair of open windows allowed a fresh breeze to blow in.

“I see you have this well thought out.”

Teyla smiled, gently pushing him towards the mattress. “I do. Now sit and eat.”

John carefully knelt before dropping onto the edge of the mattress. He crossed his legs slightly and reached for the basket. Uncovering it, he found two roast beef and cheddar sandwiches, a tray of homemade chips and some bottled water. Diving in, he ate quickly, alternating between the sandwiches and the chips. After popping the last bite in his mouth, he looked out across the city, admiring the view. After a few moments, he brushed the crumbs from his uniform then he removed his boots and weapons before stretching out on the mattress with a satisfied, “Ahhhh.”

Teyla slipped a pillow beneath his head. “Rest, John. I shall see that you are undisturbed.”

“Mmmm… ‘kay.” He murmured sleepily as his eyes slid closed. He never noticed Teyla reach over and gently remove the radio from his ear to guarantee that he remained asleep.

* * *

Teyla was meditating when the door chime sounded. Opening her eyes, she checked to ensure that John was still sleeping soundly. He never slept like this off-world. It was only here, in Atlantis and in her presence that he let go of the threads of military alertness. Rising smoothly, she made her way to the door and opened it to find Rodney on the other side. “Rodney? Is something wrong?”

Rodney stood in the doorway, his hands fidgeting. “No, nothing’s wrong. I … um… came to check on Sheppard. I tried his old quarters and, since he wasn’t there, figured he’d be here.”

Teyla smiled ever so slightly. “This is his home so why should he not be here?”

“Um… right. Uh… anyway, how is he?”

“He is asleep on the balcony.”

“Oh, that’s good.” Rodney’s head bobbed a bit. “’Cause, I caught a glimpse of him when he left the Chair Room and he looked like hell. Which then made me feel bad for asking him to come back to run the diagnostics.” He ducked his head. “But mostly I came … to … apologize.”

Teyla’s smile grew wider. “I am sure he will appreciate that. He was unhappy because he thought he had made you mad.”

Rodney’s mouth opened in a perfect ‘O’. “No, he has nothing to be upset about. I should have been more thoughtful and realized that he would be tired.”

Teyla turned towards the balcony. “Would you like to see for yourself that he is alright? Plus, if he is awake then you may apologize to him in person.” At Rodney’s nod, she led him to the balcony. They had just stepped through the doorway when John stirred, eyelashes fluttering on his pale cheeks. Blinking, he focused on the two of them.

“Mmmm … Teyla … Rodney?” His voice was rough with sleep. “Wha’s up?”

Rodney looked down at John. “Nothing’s wrong, Sheppard. Just came by to make sure you hadn’t fallen off a pier or anything. I don’t have the time to break in a new Military Commander.”

A small smile lit John’s tired face. “Yeah, love you too, Rodney.” He took a deep breath, slowly letting it out as his eyes slid closed, giving in to his body’s demands.

Rodney stood, looking down at John’s slumbering form for a minute before turning to Teyla. “Um … would you mind if I stayed here for a while? I have some work I need to do and I can’t concentrate in my lab with all the idiots.”

Teyla smiled again, knowing that John would not mind. He had mentioned on occasion that he was able to sleep with Rodney’s typing. She knew the real reason he wished to stay and had expected that he would show up. She had been so sure that she had reminded Ronon to bring enough food for all of them for dinner, as she was certain that the entire team would be together. “Certainly.”

At her approval, Rodney ducked back inside, grabbed a floor pillow then came out, picked a spot in the shade and sat down. Opening his laptop, he waited for it to boot up. “Thanks, Teyla.”

* * *

The next day, John took a Jumper and flew Teyla, Torren, Ronon, Carson, Ann Teldy and half a dozen troopers to one of the beaches. The Ancients had explored the planet quite well and had marked it as a prime location in the database for the city to reside on. John, Ronon and Torren played in the water for a while until the surf came up and Torren tired. With the waves running high, John took his board out to surf. Jack and Sam, along with Lorne and another group of troops arrived in a second Jumper in time to see John catch a big wave. Lorne turned the Jumper, hovering for the view as his boss rode the big wave. A soft whistle from his passengers drew his attention.

“Man, he’s good. He surfs like he flies,” said Jack.

Lorne nodded. “He is. We went surfing before we left Earth. I grew up in San Francisco and went surfing a lot, but he pulls moves on that board that are just…”

“Exceptional?” Sam supplied. She had given her crew liberty after the city landed. Caldwell had stayed long enough to make sure everything was okay before departing for Earth.

Lorne and Jack glanced at each other then out the windshield at the object of discussion and nodded. “Exceptional.”

As the sun went down, they cooked dinner, the burgers and grilled purple corn on the cob disappearing quickly. Some of the troops started a volleyball game, but the officers all ended up on a stone outcropping, talking quietly. Seeing the opportunity to speak to Lorne and Sheppard at the same time, two of the Airmen headed towards the path leading up. Halfway up, they were stopped by a huge form that stepped from the shadows to block the path.

“What do you want?” demanded Ronon.

One of the Airmen stepped forward. “We wanted to talk to the Colonel and the Major about getting on a recon team.”

Ronon shook his head. “Now is not the time.” 

A scuff behind them announced the arrival of Leon Johnston, the Marine nurse. “He’s right, guys. If you go up there, you will never step foot offworld. The Boss is taking some much needed time off and neither he nor the Major will appreciate you coming up there tonight.”

The pair looked at each other then at the two big men before walking back down the path. Ronon and LJ looked at each other, smiled and sat down on the trail. LJ removed his backpack and pulled out a six pack.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Contains mention of events from “Screw ups”. Thanks again to BMick and JoeyLuv for their suggestions concerning Ferrin.

With the city safely on Lantana, it was time for the senior staff to take care of a few problems. Kavanagh was so ecstatic that he was finally going to get to do his survey on M7R-673 that he arrived in the Gate Room two hours early. Per standard procedure, a MALP was sent through. Unfortunately for Kavanagh, the impact from a meteor had set off a nearby volcano, choking the atmosphere with ash. 

Since they would be unable to send their troublemakers out of the city for a time, other arrangements had to be made. During a meeting to address the situation, Jack suggested that the troublemakers be given the choice of receiving probation or being sent back to Earth. Ronon thought they should tar and feather them like they did the two fools that had tried to poison John a few years ago. 

Richard Woolsey tapped his papers on the table to start the meeting. “Gentlemen and ladies, we are here to decide on the appropriate disposition for several members of our science community.”

Ronon shocked everyone by being first to offer a suggestion. “Why not just feather them like those two fools that poisoned Sheppard a few years ago?”

Wolsey cleared his throat. “While that was an excellent example of retributive justice through the use of an alternate punishment, I hardly feel that it is fitting in these circumstances.”

“Well, I think we should give most of them a choice.” Jack piped up from the other end of the table. “They can either serve a probationary period here or they can go back to Earth and take their chances with a review board.”

John swiveled slightly in his chair. “What’s the review board likely to do to them, sir?”

Jack shifted slightly to see both John and Woolsey. “Most of them will get their security clearances downgraded and they’ll end up working on low level teams or their clearances will be revoked and they’ll get kicked out of the Stargate Program altogether.”

John nodded. “That would be fitting for most of them, but what about Doctors Stanley, James and Ferrin?”

Woolsey shuffled his papers. “Since the charges against them are more serious, they would go before a judicial review board. Doctor Stanley tried to run an unauthorized experiment by attempting to place a dangerous Ancient artifact in Colonel Sheppard’s office. Doctor James was caught running a dangerous and unauthorized experiment while the city was in hyperspace. Doctor Ferrin was caught with an illegal line tap into Atlantis’ security system as well as having run an unauthorized experiment using unwilling subjects which caused grievous harm to one of the subjects.”

John winced slightly as his wrist twinged with remembered pain at Woolsey’s mention of Ferrin’s experiment. Teyla noticed and reached out to him, placing her hand on his arm and gently stroking back and forth to soothe him. Appreciative of her effort, John gave her a small smile.

Jack leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. “So what kind of punishment are we talking?”

“All three will probably lose their security clearances and be expelled from the Program.” Woolsey predicted from his past experiences. “In addition, Doctors James and Ferrin will most likely receive rather lengthy prison sentences.” He glanced around, noting the looks on some of the assemblage. “I know this feels like they are being given a free pass, but rest assured, the judicial review board will not go easy on them. Many of its members have sat in judgement at The Hague and they do not look fondly upon this type of activity.”

Deciding that there was no time like the present, all of the scientists on their list of troublemakers were escorted by unsmiling Marines to the conference room. One by one, they were taken before the assembled senior staff and given a choice – stay in Atlantis on probation, which meant that they would only work on supervised projects and would have to attend mandatory counseling sessions with Dr. Johnson, or they could return to Earth, where they would be evaluated for fitness in order to stay in the Stargate Program. 

Of the seven troublemakers, three elected to stay while the rest chose to return to Earth. 

Those that remained were fitted with the Ancient equivalent of tracking anklets. They could only be operated by a gene carrier. Rodney had found them in a store room near the holding cells and took great pleasure in fastening them onto each of the troublemakers. 

The four that were leaving were escorted to their quarters and placed under house arrest. John accompanied the scientists and their Marine escorts. After each scientist entered their quarters, John locked the doors and set them to only open from the outside except in cases of extreme emergency.

John returned to the conference room in time to grab a quick meal. Woolsey was using the time to review the actions of the remaining three scientists. Once John finished eating, and the debris had been cleared away, Doctors James and Stanley were escorted in.

Woolsey held the center seat, with John, Rodney and Carson to one side, Jack, Sam and Radek to the other. Clearing his throat, Woolsey turned on his tablet and looked up at the two men. “Dr. Matt James, Dr. Paul Stanley, you are here today to answer charges of gross negligence. How do you plea?”

James drew himself straight, glaring down his nose at the assembly. “I refuse to answer to you. I am not an American citizen and am not answerable to your laws.”

Woolsey shook his head sadly. “Unfortunately, you are incorrect. The Atlantis Expedition and the SGC operate under the aegis of the United States military, which does put you under U.S. law. We have the security footage, and unlike many security systems, the cameras here take very good pictures. It clearly shows you running the unauthorized experiment with timestamp that shows the city was in flight. We also have the email you sent acknowledging the suspension of testing. That you refuse to speak is irrelevant. Under the circumstances, your security clearance has been revoked and you will be sent back to Earth.” Woolsey looked at the rest of the personnel. “Colonel Sheppard, Dr. McKay, General O’Neill, Colonel Carter, Dr. Beckett, Dr. Zelenka, do you concur?”

A chorus of ‘yeses’ greeted the question.

“Very well. Dr. James, you are confined to quarters until the next dial out to Earth.” Woolsey turned to the other scientist. “Dr. Paul Stanley, you are accused of breaking the regulations concerning unauthorized testing and mishandling of Ancient devices. How do you plea?”

Dr. Stanley drew himself up in the same manner as Dr. James had before him, puffing his chest out in indignation. “Your so-called rules don’t scare me. They only exist to hamper our ability to fully test Ancient devices. Why don’t you have Dr. McKay up here? He seems to have your precious Colonel testing items for him constantly.”

John and Carson both placed restraining hands on Rodney, who wisely chose to stay quiet even as Woolsey rebutted the man’s accusation.

“Dr. McKay is not here because,” and Woolsey paused, managing to look down his nose at Dr. Stanley even though the other man was standing, “he does follow the rules. He does research items ahead of time and does test them in appropriate circumstances. He does not take them to someone’s office and attempt to leave them there so that they can be activated the next time that person enters their office.”

Woolsey made some notes on the tablet before him. “It is obvious that you feel yourself above the rules that you agreed to before you came here.” He cleared his throat. “Dr. Paul Stanley, your clearance is also revoked. You are remanded to quarters until the next dial out to Earth.”

Their Marine escorts ushered the two scientists out of the conference room and back to the holding cells. As soon as they were gone, Woolsey leaned back and let out a sigh.

“It’s never easy, is it, Richard?” Sam asked.

“No, it’s not.” He turned towards her. “Did you ever have this problem?”

Sam shook her head. “No, but I think some of them believe that John’s increased abilities are an invitation to them.”

Jack leaned forward, elbows on the table. “Tell them that Sheppard’s abilities were only increased temporarily. He’s so private that he makes a locked diary seem open, so he won’t go around advertising them.”

John nodded. “He’s right, Woolsey. Everything I’ve done can be explained away through other means.”

Woolsey turned to Radek. “Dr. Zelenka, can you see to this?”

Radek nodded. “Yes, most certainly. Consider it done.”

After another short break, Dr. Ferrin was brought before the assemblage. Standing before them dressed in a prisoner’s jumpsuit, he tried to wrap himself with all the arrogance he could muster, tilting his head back slightly to stare down his nose at the personages before him. Unfortunately for him, the seven persons before him had more degrees than he did and had faced down opponents that would have made him crap his pants in fear. “So, it is to be an inquisition, yes?”

Woolsey shook his head. “No, this is a hearing. Dr. Ferrin, you are charged with misuse of Ancient technology, illegal hacking into a secured system, illegal surveillance, and unlawful human experimentation. How do you plea?”

Ferrin shook his head. “I refuse to enter a plea. This ‘hearing’ is a mockery of justice. You have already found me guilty before you brought me in here. You sit there with trained murderers at your side and accuse me of crimes. What hold do they have over you? Money, information or,“  Ferrin’s expression grew sly, “or is there something more? Are you all possibly more than co-workers or friends?”

Woolsey shook his head in denial, and Jack started to speak, but it was John that got his say in. “I suggest you not go any further.” He stood, facing Ferrin, green eyes so dark with anger that they were almost black. “If you finish that thought, I will turn my back and allow Ronon to do what he wanted to weeks ago, which was to gut you like a pig then make you eat your own intestines.” His eyes narrowed. “Or we could go with my favorite, which was to gift wrap you and send you to Todd in lieu of a fruit basket.”

“I like the fruit basket option, Sheppard.” Jack quipped. “Todd’s a great guy – for a Wraith.”

Ferrin blanched. “You…you wouldn’t!”

John’s green eyes flashed like emeralds in the sun. “Try me.” While Ferrin was contemplating his mortality, Rodney dug in his pocket. Finding what he was searching for, he hurried around the table and slipped the item onto Ferrin’s hand. There was a small flash and Ferrin let out an exclamation of pain at the shock he received.

He tugged at the ring then held up his hand. “What is this? I demand you remove it!”

Rodney shook his head. “Not gonna happen. I found that with the tracking anklets. It allows the wearer to experience the emotions of those around him. It was only used with those that felt they were above the law in hopes that it would make them better persons. There are only three ways that ring can be removed. The first is if an authorized user removes it. The second is if the person changes their ways. The third is death.”

Woolsey cleared his throat. “For the record, Dr. McKay, who are the authorized users?”

Rodney shot Ferrin a nasty smile he’d picked up from John and Ronon. “Myself, Colonel Sheppard, General O’Neill and Major Lorne.”

Ferrin looked at the assemblage, his eyes searching for a chink in their united front. Finding none, he decided a retreat was in order. “Very well. I plead guilty and demand to be sent back to Earth.”

Woolsey nodded. “You will be going back at the next scheduled dial out. You are hereby remanded to quarters until that time.” He looked towards the door where the Marine escort waited. “Gentlemen, escort Dr. Ferrin to his quarters and make sure he is not disturbed.”

John rose as the Marines formed up and followed them out. Arriving at Ferrin’s quarters, John thought the door open. He felt the ping of Ancient technology through the open door and stepped inside, quickly locating the items. “Planning to take a nest egg home?”

“Give those back! They are mine.”

John shook his head, the items loosely held in one hand. “Nope. They belong here and here’s where they will stay. This one, “ he held up a box that flashed different colors, “is a diagnostic tool for the control crystals, and this one,” this time he held up a crystal compass, “is a tracker for the jumpers which will come in very handy when we find the rest. Now, have fun for the next few days. You’ll be leaving with General O’Neill.” John stepped out into the hallway. “Oh, and don’t think you can release yourself. Your computer has been locked out of the network and McKay and Zelenka assured me that any attempts by you to access it will be rather … spectacular.” With that parting sally, John turned towards the Gate Room, the door closing and locking behind him.

* * *

A week later, Jack Gated back to the SGC. The exiled scientists and several Marines that were being rotated back to Earth accompanied him. Hidden in his luggage were a handful of ZPMs, one of which was for the Apollo.

The same day, Sam headed back in the Hammond to begin a shakedown cruise for the new ZPM. It rested in a cradle in the Hammond’s engineering section, modeled from the one aboard the Daedalus. It had passed the stress tests and now they had to see what the ship could do with its extra juice.

With the city on Lantana and their guests gone, life returned to normal – or at least what passed for normal. 

A week after Sam and Jack left, John’s team went out on a mission, their first since John was struck by the lightning bolt. They returned ahead of schedule, but not because of unfriendlies. Rodney came first through the Gate, Teyla close behind with Ronon and a limping John bringing up the rear. After one look at the Prime team, Woolsey just waved them on to the infirmary.

In the infirmary, Rodney perched on an exam table, impatiently awaiting his post-mission check. Teyla was curled on the next one over, breathing heavily and fighting nausea. John was on the other side of her, lying flat on his back with his head turned towards her. Ronon leaned against the bed on the other side of John, arms crossed and valiantly holding back a grin. 

Carson entered the area and just stopped, planting his hands on his hips as he looked at the team. “Ach, what happened? Colonel, Teyla?”

John shifted his focus to Carson. “Teyla started not feeling well, so we were headed back. We were walking along a trail between some woods and a deep stream bed when a big squirrel-thing came bounding out of the brush at McKay’s feet.” He shot a glare at Rodney before continuing. “He jumped back, screaming like a little girl, knocking me off the trail and into the stream bed.”

Rodney stiffened in protest. “Hey, I did not scream like a little girl! I… I merely yelped in manly fear!” He waved his hands in the air. “Besides, the creature was the size of a border collie and it moved really fast and I thought it was trying to attack me! I was merely making a … a … what do you call it?” He snapped his fingers three times in rapid succession. “A strategic retreat, yeah, I was making a strategic retreat!”

John raised his voice a bit. “Fortunately, I didn’t end up in the water. Unfortunately, I landed on a slab of granite – back first.”

Carson stifled a smile. “Well, I’ll get you sorted out right quick.” He turned to the nurses that had entered behind him. “Melissa, please get the blood samples. Marie, if you would, go ahead and get Ronon’s check done.” He turned back, deciding to get the hard part done first. “Colonel, we have a date with the scanner. Teyla, after the blood is drawn I’ll get you somethin’ for yer nausea.”

John quirked a brow at him. “Gee, Doc, I don’t know about that. I’m not into threesomes.”

Carson groaned. “Just behave, you cheeky bugger or I’ll drag out the big needles to give you the muscle relaxers for your back.”

John held up his hands in a soothing gesture. “Okay, Doc, I’ll behave.”

After the scanner confirmed that John’s back was just badly bruised, Carson gave him the promised muscle relaxer and a mild pain killer. He performed Teyla’s check followed by Rodney’s while they waited on the results from Teyla’s exam. John, Rodney and Ronon’s blood tests came back clean. Teyla’s was taking longer because they wanted to find out why she was sick. Having passed their check-ups, Ronon and Rodney were kicked out and told to go eat and get some rest. After patting John on the leg, Ronon pushed Rodney ahead of him and the two left.

John fell asleep while they waited on Teyla’s test results. When the results arrived, Carson gently woke him after scanning the tablet Melissa had handed him. “Teyla, your test shows elevated levels of a few hormones, but nothing abnormal.”

“What do you mean, ‘nothing abnormal’?” John said, perplexed, as he slowly sat up. “She doesn’t get sick.”

“Carson, how could this be normal?” Teyla’s voice conveyed her confusion.

While Carson paused to answer a question for one of the nurses, John was putting a few pieces together in his fuzzy brain. “Teyla, Carson said a few of your hormones are elevated and that it’s normal.” 

Teyla took a moment to digest what John was telling her, and then a look of comprehension showed on her face.

John looked at Teyla, his eyes bright green. “Is he saying that you’re…?”

Teyla nodded; a happy smile on her face. “I believe so.”

As Carson returned his focus to them, a look of hope crossed John’s face. “Does that mean she’s…?”

Carson smiled, his dimples big enough to swallow a Jumper. “Yes, Colonel, Torren is going to have a sibling soon.”

Teyla reached down, placing her hands on her abdomen. “Thank you, Carson. How far along am I?”

Carson checked the tablet, “About three weeks.”

John carefully slid from the gurney, crossing the intervening space. Gingerly sitting on the edge of Teyla’s bed, he took her hands in his as they leaned towards each other. A warm, loving smile graced his face, lighting up his eyes as he looked into hers and said, “We’re having a baby!”

_\-- And life goes on --_

 

 

 


End file.
